


Far From Yesterday

by 11JJ11



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Amnesia, F/M, Friendship, Marriage, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 20:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 108,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13465548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/11JJ11/pseuds/11JJ11
Summary: Familiar faces were like strangers.Strangers claimed to be friends.Past memories seem to only be yesterday.Mairin's world is turned upside down when she wakes up and discovers that five years have passed-- and she doesn't remember a moment of it. She's lost in a world of familiar sights, but yet everything around her is new. She's struggling in a fight not only to find her memories, but to make sense of how she fits in with those around her.And to learn how she came to love him.





	1. Chapter 1

    “Mairin,” Alain hissed through gritted teeth. “Didn’t I already tell you to leave me alone?”

    Mairin paused, hesitating. She had been hoping to silently approach Alain, but as always he just seemed to know when she was around. She shifted, gulping as she tried to speak.

    “If you’d just tell me what’s wrong then I could help you,” Mairin said softly, taking another step towards him.

    The park around them was silent, empty due to the lateness of the night. She saw Alain tensing as she spoke, refusing to turn and face her. It was hard to make out his whole figure, his dark clothing blurring into the shadows. The nearest light came from a lamp post, the edges of its glow barely reaching Mairin.

    Alain was sitting on a park bench, his back towards Mairin. His hands were curled into fists, his jaw gritting together as Mairin took another step towards him. Again she stopped, patiently waiting for him to speak once more. She hated it when Alain got like this– acting as if something could only be handled by him. Because every time he got this way it meant there was something that he needed help and support with– which was what she wanted to give!

    “I don’t need ‘help’, Mairin,” Alain’s voice was a growl. “I need space– something you seem incapable of doing!”

    “That’s because I know when you get like this the last thing you need is to be alone!” Mairin cried, taking another step towards him. “Didn’t we promise not to do this again– not to keep things from each other and to help each other?! What happened to that, Alain! You’re my best friend– and I just want to help!”

    Alain stood up, and for a moment Mairin relaxed as he turned to face her, finally thinking she had gotten to him. That relief quickly feld when she his expression, even through the darkness of the night. Alain glared at her, blue eyes flashing, a look of pure outrage on his face. Mairin’s eyes widened slightly, and she took a step back.

    “Since when have you ever given help?” Alain spat, voice tense, yet controlled. “Do you think constant pestering is ‘help’, Mairin?” She opened her mouth to reply, but he kept talking. “You’re eighteen, so one would think you’d finally grow up after all this time– but instead you keep acting like an insistent toddler.”

    Mairin took in a slow breath as he turned away. “I... I just want to be there to talk, Alain, th-that’s what people need sometimes...”

    _“And sometimes we need to be left alone!”_  Alain roared, rounding on her. His voice echoed through the park, and Mairin couldn’t help but stumble back in surprise. His tone was gruff, full of frustration and anger. “But you can’t even understand something as simple as that– no matter how many times someone asks that of you! Instead you follow me about, ignoring the meaning of privacy, doing whatever you simply please!”

    Mairin knew that he was upset, and knew he was just acting on that anger, but still the words hurt. She stood there, tears piercing her eyes as he continued, his frustration pouring from him.

    “Is that your definition of ‘best friend’?” Alain asked bitterly. “Chasing someone until they grow weary of sending you away? Never minding your own business and always getting in the way?” Alain spun so his back was facing her.  _“There_ – you got your precious chance to talk to me– now go mind your own freaking business.”

    With that Alain collapsed back onto the park bench, breathing heavily.

    Mairin opened her mouth, but any words she attempted to speak remained in the back of her throat, choking her as she tried to force them out. Mairin only managed to make a small sputtering sound, her mind still reeling at his words. She stood there for a moment, hands shaking as she tried to gather herself.

    Then without saying another word she turned on a heel, running out of the park with tears running down her face. A heavy feeling had settled in her heart, Alain’s harsh cries still echoing in her mind. She tried to tell herself that he didn’t mean it, that whatever he was dealing with was clearly weighing him down– but it didn’t help. There had been a truth to his words, which was only feeding Mairin’s doubts.

    Had she overstepped her boundaries? Pressed someone when she should’ve left them alone? Did... did Alain really feel that way? What if his harsh words weren’t results of his frustration, but rather what he truly wanted her to hear?

    Tears blurred Mairin’s vision, but the streets of Lumiose were well lit, and she knew the way back to the lab. It wasn’t long before she was pushing her way through the front gate of the lab and towards the front door. She barely seemed register what she was doing, hands fumbling for the door as she pulled it open. Professor Sycamore looked up as he entered, Garchomp by his side.

    “Did you find him, Mairin?” Professor Sycamore asked softly as she closed the door behind her, but paused when he saw her tears. He swiftly stood up from the table he had been at, making his way towards her. “Mairin? Is everything alright?”

    “A-alain...” Mairin managed to say as the professor laid a hand on her shoulder. “Alain... he wants to be alone right now!”

    The words rushed from her all at once, and she pushed past the professor. He stared at her, but didn’t go after her as she hurried up the stairs of the lab. She quickly made her way to her room, opening it and locking it behind her. She pressed up against the door, trying to get a hold of herself.

    “Quill?” A voice asked, and Mairin looked down to see a Quilladin running up to her.

    “H-hi Chespie,” Mairin muttered, kneeling down so she was on his level. She threw her arms around her starter. “I’m fine... I’m fine...”

    Chespie scowled up at her doubtfully as she said this, crossing his stubby arms. She looked at him for a moment, before wiping away the tears from her eyes.

    “A-alain... yelled at me,” Mairin said slowly, flinching at the memory. “B-but it was my fault– I was pushing him when he wanted to be alone and– and...” She closed her eyes. “I’m fine Chespie, it just hurt, b-but I’m fine.”

    She honestly didn’t know what to feel– the things that Alain had said to her dug deep into her heart, and she just wanted to break down and cry. But at the same time she recognized that she had been the one to push him to that state, and hadn’t given the space he had asked for. It wasn’t the first time Alain had said hurtful things, she knew that this needed some time...

    But it was the fact that he was willing to say those things to her that really hurt– true or not.

    She was crying again, Chespie rubbing up against her as the tears came. She wrapped her arms around the Quilladin, trying to get ahold of herself. She didn’t know how long she sat there at the door, struggling to gain full control of herself, but eventually the tears slowly came to a stop. Mairin had her eyes closed, taking in slow breaths.

    “I need to sleep on this,” Mairin told Chespie softly– both she and Alain did. It was late, they were tired, and clearly both of them had a lot weighing down on them. She’d talk to him tomorrow... or whenever he was ready to. They were both adults, she didn’t need to break down crying like a child...

    She flinched as Alain’s words returned to her mind.

    She’d apologize, for pushing him and not giving him the space he had clearly wanted. Everything would be fine, she just needed to sleep on this and not let a two minute conversation takeover her mind.

    “Din?” Chespie asked as Mairin pushed herself to her feet. She went over to the the wardrobe in her room, smiling towards Chespie. She had been living and working here at the lab for several years, ever since she and Alain had quit their journeyings.

    Mairin focused on her breathing as she got ready for bed– she and Alain had been through worse before. Clearly something big had happened, and she just needed to accept that he wasn’t ready to talk about it. Her overwhelming emotions drained from her, and by the time she crawled into bed she was much more relaxed.

    Yes, Alain’s words had hurt her, but she realized that they were both in the wrong. They just needed to take this one step at a time, and she was sure that she’d soon have her best friend back into her life. Mairin gave one small smile to Chespie as he curled up on his own bed in the corner, before turning off the light.

    Then Mairin curled up, ready for darkness and sleep to overtake her.

* * *

    Mairin woke up feeling light.

    A content sigh escaped her as her consciousness slowly drifted to the surface of morning, her eyes remaining closed as she snuggled deeper into bed. She was warm, and even with her eyes shut she could make out a gentle light coming in through the window, and she didn’t want to move. Her mind didn’t seem to quite yet remember what had taken place the night before, nor notice the warm arm draped around her.

    She simply snuggled closer to the warm figure behind her, warmth radiating from them. This resulted in another arm wrapping around her, fingers sliding between hers. Mairin let out another soft sigh, mind not quite realizing that she wasn’t alone. The figure’s breathing was steady, suggesting that they were still half asleep like her.

    It wasn’t until the figure pressed her against their chest that Mairin realized that there was someone else in her bed.

    Mairin’s eyes snapped open, wide as her heart started racing, and she looked down. Sure enough there were two arms around her, the hands wrapped around hers. She stared down at the way her fingers were intertwined with the unknown hands, gleaming with silver, and she quickly tried to pull them away.

    The figure behind her let out a quiet laugh, the sound quite warm, but it only sent chills down Mairin’s spine. The hands clasped around hers tighter in what seemed to be an affectionate manner, and the arms brought her into a close hug. She felt her back being pressed up more against someone’s else chest, the top of her head resting under their chin.

    “Good morning, honey,” A soft voice whispered in her ear, and Mairin stiffened.

    Because she knew that voice.

    A startled whimper escaped her mouth, and she tried to pull herself away. The arms tightened for a moment as if giving her a hug, and then loosened as she pulled herself free. She rolled away, heart hammering as she tried to understand what was happening. This was not her bed– this one was clearly much larger as she rolled away. She stopped on her side, wide amber eyes peering back at the man that had been laying next to her.

    Alain.

    His soft blue eyes flickered open, a small smile on his face. She stared at him, eyes lit with panic as she realized she was laying in the same bed as her best friend. Alain was shirtless, his muscular figure visible for her to see. She stared at him, mind racing as she tried to understand what was going on. Alain watched her for a moment, a frown crossing his face as he noticed her panic.

    Mairin quickly sat up– and to her relief she was wearing a tanktop and shorts– but she also knew that those were not the clothes she had gone to sleep in. Her head quickly whipped around the room, trying to take in her surroundings. She was in Alain’s room at the lab, she recognized it right off, yet unfamiliar features kept catching her eye. A pink hairbrush on the desk, a green jacket that clearly belonged to a female draped over a chair, an unfamiliar poster hanging on the wall.

    The queen size bed they were laying in.

    “Mairin?” Alain asked in a gentle tone. “Is everything alright?”

    A part of Mairin wanted to cry out, but her panic had gagged her. She stared down at her hands, trying to remember how she got here. She had gone to sleep in her own bed last night, she remembered that. She had been in her own bed, she hadn’t gotten up at all... Did that mean that Alain...?

    She flinched as her mind turned towards the words Alain had screamed at her yesterday.

    She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. “Mairin, honey, what’s wrong?”

    She recoiled as Alain touched her– pulling back and quickly stumbling out of the bed. He was sitting up, watching her in utter confusion as she staggered away from him in pure panic. Her eyes swept the room, trying to understand what was going on. He stood up, a concerned look on his face as he watched Mairin. He was only wearing a pair of basketball shorts and some socks, and he held his hands out towards her.

_“Don’t touch me!”_  Mairin cried, stumbling back farther.

    This time Alain was the one to recoil, jerking his hands back as if she had just burnt him. He stared at Mairin, confusion and hurt on his face. He glanced down at himself, then up on her.

    “M-mairin? Are you okay, what’s–?”

    She didn’t give him a chance to finish his sentence, stumbling towards the door and jerking it open. Mairin staggered out into the hallway, nearly tripping over her feet as she swiftly made her way through the lab. Her heart was racing, mind too panicked to even know where to begin with the mess of information running through her head.

    “Morning Mairin,” A voice said, and Mairin froze in her tracks. Sophie was standing at the end of the hallway smiling at her. Mairin relaxed slightly upon seeing the lab assistant, though she was far from calm. “Um... is everything okay?”

    “Everything’s great,” Mairin squeaked out, not even knowing what to say. Should she tell someone? Had... anything happened last night? How had she even gotten there? Why had Alain been so... calm? “I– um– sh-should get downstairs.”

    Mairin slipped passed Sophie, bolting towards the stairs.

    “Mairin?” She stiffened as she heard Alain calling after her.

    “Is she okay?” Mairin heard Sophie ask Alain as she ran for the stairwell. “She looked pale.”

    “I have no idea...” Alain began, but his words were lost to Mairin as she bolted down the stairs. Her feet flew across the steps, and soon she was in the main area of the lab. She paused to catch her breath, tears running down her face.

    What was going on... what was going on...?

    “Morning, Mairin,” A jolly voice said, and she looked up in time to see the professor coming down from another hall. He smiled at her as he headed towards the kitchen. “You’re up earlier than usual, want me to make you some breakfast?”

    “Y-yes,” Mairin whimpered– anything was better than this confusion. Professor Sycamore was someone she could trust, maybe he could help...? But what was there to help with– what was even going on?!

    He paused as he noticed her wavering voice, turning to face her. He blinked as he saw her tears, and he frowned. “Mairin, are you okay? Did something happen?”

    “I...” Mairin began, tears now pouring down her face. “I... I don’t know... I was... I was in...”

    Her eyes pressed shut, and she wrapped her arms around herself. Professor Sycamore took a step towards her. He put his hands on her shoulders, and brought her into a hug. Mairin allowed him to, and suddenly she was sobbing into his shoulder. The professor held her, allowing her to cry out her frustration and confusion. She had no idea what was going on, she was so confused.

    She had been in the same bed as Alain, and had no idea how she had gotten there. Alain had been acting like nothing was wrong– not with them being like that nor with what had happened last night. Mairin had no idea what to do, how to react, or even where to begin.

    “Mairin!”

    She froze as she heard Alain calling to her, and she peered out from the professor’s shoulder. Alain was hurrying down the stairs, now wearing a labcoat he had clearly hastily thrown on, though he still remained shirtless. He was also now looking just as confused as she was, concern in his eyes.

    Mairin whimpered.

    “Alain,” Professor Sycamore said, keeping a protective arm around Mairin. “Do you know what happened? What’s wrong?”

    Alain stopped on the last step, watching as Mairin shuffled back. There was a look of hurt in his eyes, and he slowly shook his head.

    “She... she was like this when she woke up,” Alain whispered. “I have no idea...” He looked down at her. “Mairin, what’s wrong? Please, you can talk to me!”

    “I–” A hiccup escaped Mairin. “I– I–” She pulled away from Professor Sycamore, before stepping behind him. “J-just leave me alone!”

    Professor Sycamore glanced between them. “Alain,” He asked, voice a bit harder. “What happened?”

    “I don’t know!” Alain cried. “I didn’t do anything!” He looked at Mairin. “R-right? Mairin... if I offended you or something I swear I didn’t mean to!”

    Offend? Offend?! He had screamed and belittled her for merely trying to comfort him! And then... and then...

    Mairin didn’t know what had happened– but she most certainly hadn’t put herself in Alain’s room. A chills ran down Mairin, and she wrapped her arms around herself, eyes pressed shut as more tears ran down her face.

    “J-just stay away from me!” Mairin cried, before bolting forward. Alain pressed himself against the banister as she raced up the stairs, storming past him and up towards where everyone’s rooms were. Her feet seemed to barely touch the floor, and she vaguely heard the professor muttering to Alain to let her go.

    Shivers came across her as she went passed Alain’s room, but she didn’t have time to dwell on that. Where was her room... where was her room...?

    It was strange, she knew the way to her small room, but yet her body acted as if the trek was unfamiliar. She shook her head, before at last arriving at the cream-colored door. She let out a sigh of relief, hand wrapping around the handle. She pressed the door open, quickly stepping inside.

    This was her room... she knew it was...

    But upon stepping inside she knew that this was most certainly not  _her_  room.

    The only thing familiar about the place was the shape– every piece of furniture and knick knack of hers gone. Mairin stared, eyes sweeping across the strange and unfamiliar items in the room, before focusing on the two creatures that were staring at her.

    The first one rose to his feet upon seeing her– the towering Chesnaught staring down at her. Mairin’s eyes widened, impressed at the size of this creature. He was intimidating, but a beautiful Pokemon. He tilted his head as she stared, before letting out a friendly rumble.

    A flash of movement caught her eye, and she looked to the other side of the room, where a sleek creature was perched on a large shelf. The beautiful being had pure white fur, and soft red eyes. It stretched, its obsidian dagger-like claws flexing as it studied Mairin. It tossed its head up in acknowledgment, a large horn scraping against the wall.

    The Absol was gorgeous– but completely unfamiliar. However a small necklace hung around her neck, and Mairin swiftly recognized the gem at the end. The mega stone gleamed in the light, and the Absol observed her with those crimson eyes, a frown on its face.

    “Naught...?” A low rumbled took her gaze away from the Absol, and back towards the Chesnaught. It was lumbering towards her, its large arms held out to her. She couldn’t help but take a step back, but yet...

    She looked up into those glossy black eyes, and jolt recognition ran through her.

    “...Chespie?”


	2. Chapter 2

**** “...Chespie?” Mairin asked, uncertainty in her tone as she looked up at the mighty Chesnaught. A part of her didn’t believe her words as she spoke– there was no way Chespie had just evolved overnight– they hadn’t battled in ages!

But those eyes... Mairin knew those eyes. They were Chespie’s eyes– and everyone knew their starter Pokemon.

The Chesnaught frowned, tilting his head in a way only Chespie would do. He stared down at her for a moment, before giving an uncertain nod. Mairin stared, trying to take in the fact that Chespie had indeed evolved– and she hadn’t seen it.

“Chespie!” Mairin cried, before racing forward. Evolved or not, Mairin didn’t care, because this was someone she could always trust. He opened his arms as she ran forward, slamming into his chest. His large arms returned her hug, before gently scooping her up. Chespie let out a rumble, the sound almost purr-like as he held his trainer.

The unfamiliar Absol was still watching them, and she stood up. She was standing on a large shelf that had clearly been built for her to rest on, and she leapt down. Within seconds she was at Chespie’s side, looking up at Mairin. The Chesnaught set Mairin down, the Absol pressing her head against Mairin’s leg, as if sensing her distress.

“Th-thank you,” Mairin told the unfamiliar Pokemon. She knelt down, running a hand through the mane of fur around its neck. The Absol closed its ruby eyes as Mairin stroked her. “You’re beautiful... where did you come from? Who’s your trainer?”

Why on earth was her room now a place clearly designed for Pokemon to live in?

The Absol’s eyes snapped open, looking up at her in shock. Behind her Mairin felt Chespie go still, the arm on her shoulder tensening. Chespie and the Absol looked at each other, concern in their eyes, before looking at Mairin again.

“..Sol?” The Absol asked.

“What?” Mairin asked. “You do have a trainer, r-right? I mean you have an Absolite...”

Chespie gulped, and muttered something to the Absol. She nodded, before bolting towards the door. She reared up on her hind legs, front claws hitting the doorknob and as she came down. The door swung open a crack as the Absol landed on all fours, and she pressed her head into the gap, widening it– before bolting down the hallway.

“Ches,” Chespie let out a concerned noise, scooping Mairin into a hug. He held her close, sitting down on the ground without letting her go. His large, protective arms were around her, and he started rocking back and forth as if she were a child.

“Did I say something wrong?” Mairin asked, glancing at the door where the Absol had been. Chespie shifted, shrugged, not making eye contact with Mairin. She gulped. “Chespie... what’s going on? I’m so confused! I’m so... so...”

Her eyes snapped shut, the memory of waking up in the same bed as Alain still unsettling in her mind.

Chespie looked concerned, and he kept on cradling her. It was strange how quickly she relaxed in his arms, as if the large Chesnaught’s grasp was something she had been wrapped in before. Then again, Mairin had always been a hugger, so perhaps in all of this panicked confusion this was comforting.

It wasn’t long until Mairin heard the sound of footsteps and the tapping of claws outside of her bedroom door. Mairin leaned back against Chespie, and she heard a gentle knock. Chespie looked up at the door, and Mairin bit her lip.

“Mairin, can I come in and talk?” Professor Sycamore’s voice came from the otherside of the doorway. “We’re all worried about you– even your Pokemon!”

“...You can,” Mairin said after a moment, and the door creaked open more. There stood Professor Sycamore, a slight frown on his face. At his side was the Absol, who bolted into the room, straight to Mairin’s side. She hesitated, watching Mairin in worry. Professor Sycamore shut the door behind him as he entered, but lingered by the doorway.

“Mairin, can you please tell me what’s going on?” Professor Sycamore asked gently. “Something’s clearly wrong, and everyone’s really worried. Did something happen between you and Alain?”

Mairin’s fingers curled around Chespie’s arm. “...He said some really hurtful things to me last night...” Mairin finally whispered. “And... a-and then this morning I...”

She closed her eyes, flinching.

Professor Sycamore frowned. “...Alain says he has no idea why you’re acting like this. Perhaps this is just a misunderstanding– not that it excuses anything he might have said,” He sighed. “What did he say to you? When?”

Mairin glanced down. “You know... last night. When he stormed out of the lab. I went after him like you said, and he... he wasn’t happy about that.”

Professor Sycamore’s frown deepened. “Stormed out?”

Mairin looked up at the professor. “...You know? After he got that letter? And he wouldn’t talk to anyone?”

It wasn’t like Alain had been quiet– he had slammed the door to the lab when he had charged out, snarling at anyone that tried to talk to him. That wasn’t exactly a scene that would slip anyone’s mind.

Professor Sycamore looked worried. “...Alain didn’t do anything like that yesterday, Mairin,” He said uncertainly.

Mairin stared at him– what was that supposed to mean?! Professor Sycamore had been there– he had been the one to hand Alain the letter! This wasn’t just something that slipped someone’s mind! Mairin glanced around the room, realizing that she had a lot more questions than what had happened to Alain though...

The Absol pressed her head into Mairin’s hand, whimpering. Mairin hesitated, while Professor Sycamore’s brow was furrowed in thought.

“...Professor?” Mairin asked softly, not sure of even where to begin. So many questions were racing through her mind, the confusion with everything that had happened, the underlying fear in her heart... Chespie looked down at Mairin as she pressed closer to the Pokemon, and she asked the first thing that came to her mind. “When did Chespie evolve?”

Professor Sycamore hadn’t seemed surprised about Chespie’s sudden appearance into Chesnaught– perhaps he had been around when it had taken place?

The concern on Professor Sycamore’s face melted into pure worry. “...What?”

Chespie had gone still, clutching Mairin just a bit tighter. Mairin sat up, frowning at the strange reactions running through the room. The Absol, who had been laying at her side, covered her head with her front claws, curling up. Professor Sycamore’s gaze went from Mairin to Chespie, hesitating.

“...He’s a Chesnaught now,” Mairin said slowly– how was he overlooking that? “I was wondering if you knew when it happened? Late last night, or maybe the middle of the night? Early this morning?”

Professor Sycamore took a step back, his hands reaching out for the wall. He supported himself for a moment, blinking slowly. He then turned back towards them– but he was looking at her Pokemon now. Chespie whined in worry, while the Absol stood up with her head lowered. Professor Sycamore closed his eyes.

“...Mairin,” The professor’s voice sounded strained, and there was a slight gleam of fear in his eyes. “Stay here, okay? I’m going to go talk to the others real quick... watch her, Chespie.”

Mairin tried to stand up, but Chespie held her fast. Mairin opened her mouth, but before she could say a word Professor Sycamore was out the door. She could hear his footsteps as he walked away, much swifter than before.

“What’s going on?” Mairin demanded, struggling to get free of Chespie. He held her close for a moment longer, before finally allowing her to stand. She rose to her feet, swiftly pacing the the space that should have been her room. “What’s going on?!” Fresh tears stung her eyes. “Y-you’re evolved, the Professor’s acting strange...” Mairin closed her eyes. “Chespie– I woke up in Alain’s room this morning!  _ In his bed!  _ And he didn’t even blink an eye!”

“Naught...?” Chespie asked, but didn’t seem the least bit surprised by this news. He did looked worried, but nothing like the fear that had gripped Mairin. She turned to look at her starter, who was looking at the Absol helplessly.

The Absol took a deep breath, then approached Mairin. The creature was so beautiful, her fur silky as she rubbed up against Mairin’s leg. She watched the dark type as she continued to press up to her, as if wanting Mairin to pet her. She finally reached out with a hand towards the creature’s head, who jerked her horn up. The smooth, scythe-like horn was pressed into her hand, and Mairin’s fingers curled around it.

The Absol gave her a slight smile, then stepped towards the door. With Mairin holding onto the horn she was dragged forward. Mairin didn’t let go of the Pokemon, allowing it to guide her to the door. The Absol stopped, waiting, and after a moment Mairin slowly opened the door. The Absol started forward once more, dragging her down the hallway. She had to stumble to keep up, but yet she didn’t release the Absol’s horn as she lead her towards the stairs.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Mairin asked the Pokemon softly. The Absol looked up at her with those bright red eyes, blinking. Despite the Pokemon’s expression being unchanging, Mairin got the impression that she simply wanted to help. She hesitated, then allowed the Absol to lead her downstairs. Mairin recognized that they were heading towards the lab kitchens, where she could hear voices talking. 

The Absol slowly came to a stop, and they stood listening outside the doorway.

“There’s nothing wrong with her!” Alain growled in a frustrated tone. “If something’s upsetting her then something’s upsetting her– and we should be making it right!”

“Alain, listen to me,” Professor Sycamore said in an even tone. “You didn’t hear the things she was saying. She’s acting like something happened last night and–”

“Then something happened,” Alain replied. “Mairin doesn’t lie. She’s–!”

“She asked me when Chespie evolved,” Professor Sycamore cut in.

Silence fell across the hall and kitchen.

“...She brought it up...?” Cosette’s voice asked, startled.

“No,” Professor Sycamore said, his tone sounding heavy. “...She asked me if he evolved last night. I... I honestly didn’t even know what to say...”

Silence fell across the kitchen again, and Absol decided that now was the time to make their entrance, and she pressed forward. With Mairin’s hand still on her horn she was dragged forward, stumbling through the doorway. She froze up as five pairs of eyes turned towards her, all of the members of the lab sitting around the table.

Mairin’s eyes swept over them, tensing up as she found herself looking into unfamiliar gaze of a boy she had never seen before. He had dark navy blue hair, and was perhaps a year or two older than her. He wore a pair of red glasses, his dark eyes regarding her in concern. She quickly tore her gaze away from him, but instead found herself looking into Alain’s sharp blue eyes.

She swiftly looked to someone else.

It didn’t matter though, because everyone was staring at her. They all had been talking about her behind her back, and now they were staring. She shifted, pressing closer to the Absol, who was gently pulling her horn out of Mairin’s hand.

“Mairin,” Alain said, pure concern in his voice. Mairin shivered slightly, looking down at her feet.

“Wh-what’s going on?” Mairin asked, looking up at them with tears in her eyes. “Why is everyone talking strangely? Why is everything... different? Why... why...?”

Too many questions to voice, her words just got tangled on her tongue, leaving her unable to say anything at all. They glanced at each other, and then Alain stood up, heading towards her. Mairin froze up, before stumbling back at his approach.

The hurt in his eyes made her heart ache, but she just wanted as much space between them after what happened last night and this morning.

Professor Sycamore stood up as well, signaling at Alain to step back. The male glared at the professor, but finally stumbled back to his seat. The man with glasses looked concerned, while Sophie and Cosette were watching Mairin with soft eyes. All looked worried.

None of them explained what was happening.

“Mairin, what happened last night?” Professor Sycamore asked.

“I already told you,” Mairin said sharply, her patience wearing thin. She glared bitterly in Alain’s direction– she may have felt sorry earlier, but now that he was acting like nothing had happened she was only angry. Her anger shriveled up as she remembered this morning, pressed up against his warm chest...

He had called her  _ honey. _

“Mairin,” Alain said weakly. “I swear, if I did something I’m sorry– but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Like his eyes, his voice sounded hurt.

Mairin gritted her teeth, but said nothing. Yes he had been upset– but that didn’t mean he could just forget everything he had said to her! That didn’t mean that he could just be forgiven without even an explanation of why he had said those things! And of course... she wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes.

Why had she been in his room, how had she gotten there...?

“Mairin,” Professor Sycamore said slowly– he sounded nervous. “Can you tell me the name of the Pokemon next to you?”

She narrowed her eyes. “It’s an Absol.”

Sophie and Cosette uncertainly glanced at each other, and the professor bit his lip. The blue haired boy looked towards Alain– who was staring straight at Mairin with intense eyes. The Absol lowered her head, before looking up at Mairin desperately.

“...Her nickname, Mairin,” Professor Sycamore said softly. “What’s her nickname? The one you gave her?”

The one she gave it?

“What do you mean?” Mairin asked. “I’ve never seen her before– I have no idea what her name is.”

A hushed silence fell across the room.

Any looks of uncertainty on their faces vanished, turning to pure worry. Alain leaned back in his chair, eyes wide, and his breathing became tense. Mairin looked at them, then down at the Absol, whose claws were digging into the ground, scarlet eyes distance. Mairin blinked once, before realizing that small tears were building up in the Pokemon’s eyes.

“Her name is Ruby,” The blue haired boy supplied, breaking the silence. His voice carried just as much worry as on everyone else’s faces, even though Mairin knew she had never met him before.

“...How old are you?” Professor Sycamore asked after a moment, looking at her. 

Mairin blinked at this question– they should know this. “I’m eighteen.”

Everyone tensed as she spoke– the air turning thick as the words left her mouth. Mairin couldn’t help but take a step back– Professor Sycamore winced as if her words had hurt him, while Alain’s hands had curled into fists. The female assistants were looking up at Mairin, eyes wide and panicked, while the unfamiliar boy looked down at the table.

“Sol...” Ruby the Absol whispered, bowing her head.

“Mairin,” Professor Sycamore said gently. “I think you should sit down.”

She only took another step back. “N-no. Why should I?” Her eyes flickered across the room. “What’s going on?”

Professor Sycamore slowly approached her, gently grabbing her wrist and he guided her towards the table. Mairin stumbled as she was lead towards a chair, but sat as the professor signaled her to. She sat down with a thud, collapsing into the chair as she looked around at everyone. They were all staring at her as if she had just fallen from space, and she hated it.

“Mairin,” Professor Sycamore began slowly. “I know you’re probably really confused right now, so please just listen to everything we’re going to say, okay?”

“What’s going on?” Mairin repeated for what felt like the hundredth time this morning.

“...The first thing you should know is that you’re not eighteen, Mairin,” Professor Sycamore took in a deep breath. “You’re twenty-three.”


	3. Chapter 3

“...The first thing you should know is that you’re not eighteen, Mairin,” Professor Sycamore’s voice was quiet, and he took in a deep breath. “You’re twenty-three.”

If Mairin had been standing up, sure was sure that her legs wouldn’t be able to support her. She stiffened up as the words left his mouth, gawking up at him. Mairin blinked, making sure she had heard him correctly, hating how everyone was watching her sorrowfully.

She then closed her eyes, letting out a shaky laugh.

“Ha... v-very funny guys...” Mairin muttered, sitting up slightly. She looked around, before scowling at them. “Actually– n-not funny at all! I’m not in the mood for jokes, I... I want to know...”

She slowly trailed off, a look of seriousness on everyone else’s face. Once again Mairin tensed up, hands tightening around the edges of the chair. She whipped around, looking over each person in turn. Professor Sycamore couldn’t look her in the eyes, his gaze distant and sorrowful. Sophie and Cosette had pure worry in their gaze, while the blue-haired man was looking at Mairin with a look that could only be described as pity.

Finally she looked towards Alain, who was pale. He was staring at Mairin, pure unbelief and fear in his gaze. He swayed slightly in his chair, jaw slack.

“Wh-what are you guys saying?” Mairin whispered.

Twenty-three?! There was no way she was twenty-three! Mairin closed her eyes, trying to shove the possibility aside. She was eighteen, she knew that– she just couldn’t have jump five years in age!

“I don’t know...” Professor Sycamore said uncertainly. “But Mairin, clearly something is wrong.”

No, she wasn’t twenty-three... but the doubts began to run through her mind– the fact that Chespie was now evolved, that this Absol acted as if it were her own... And her room, there was no way it had been transformed overnight. 

“W-wrong?” Alain sputtered out, and he rose to his feet. “How could you just say  _ ‘wrong’?! _ She– this–”

“Alain,” Professor Sycamore said firmly. “Calm down.”

_ “‘Clam down’?!” _ Alain cried. “Don’t you  _ dare _ tell me to calm down, not when my Mairin clearly isn’t remembering things right–!”

Mairin flinched at the words ‘my Mairin’. She swayed in her seat for a moment, trying to take in what she had just been told.

“Alain– enough!” Professor Sycamore’s voice echoed through the lab, and his assistant fell silent. He then took in a deep breath, straightening his lab coat. “Yelling will get us nowhere,” He turned towards Mairin, smiling slightly. “Let’s take this one step at a time, okay?”

One step?! Everyone was apparently convinced that she was twenty-three! ...Or she was convinced that she was eighteen...

She shivered.

A warm hand was placed on her shoulder, but Mairin didn’t look up as she stared down at her hands. The confusion was rushing through her mind, and her stomach was beginning to churn unhappily. She felt like throwing up, but she managed to keep the feeling down as she sat there.

“Mairin, what’s the last thing you remember before this morning?” Professor Sycamore asked.

“I already t-told you...” Mairin muttered.

Professor Sycamore nodded a bit, uncertainly glancing over Mairin’s shoulder. “Yes... the fight. Well, um, how clearly do you remember it? Is it blurry at all, did it feel dream-like or–?”

“It felt like,” Mairin growled in a low voice. “I was belittled and screamed at for trying to comfort Alain!”

Silence took hold of the kitchen once more, and the hand on her shoulder tightened.

“Alain?” Professor Sycamore asked. “What was Mairin doing last night? Was there anything about her that seemed off?”

Mairin jumped as soon as Alain spoke– realizing that he was standing right behind her.

“She said that she wasn’t feeling well, but nothing serious,” Alain said quietly, and Mairin quickly jerked herself forward, realizing that he was the one with his hand on her shoulder. She glared back at him, and Alain pulled his hand back. He looked so worried, so sad... but Mairin couldn’t find it in herself to forgive him.

“Mairin, what exactly can you remember?” Professor Sycamore asked. “Details are important, I want to see if this is something we can recall, or if this is somehow... a creation of your imagination.”

She glared at the professor. “I’m not crazy.”

He took in a deep breath. “Mairin, if you think you’re eighteen then something is wrong. No, I don’t think you’ve lost your mind, but I want a full understanding of what’s going on here. Please tell me what you remember of this fight.”

She didn’t respond right off, closing her eyes as she shoved the idea of something being wrong to the back of her mind. She was fine... she was fine...

“A letter came in the mail for Alain,” Mairin said simply, looking up at the professor. “You want details? It was a white envelope and everything in and on it looked to be typed. Alain came back to the lab from a trip to the store, and you gave him the letter. He read it, and after that he became very distant and wouldn’t talk to anyone.”

Professor Sycamore’s lips pressed into a thin line, and his eyes flickered towards Alain. Mairin didn’t turn around to look at him though, but continued her story.

“He didn’t come down from his room for dinner, and told me to leave him alone when I tried to bring him food. After that you tried to approach him, but that only made him more upset,” She paused for a moment. “At that point it was dark outside, and that’s when Alain stormed out of the lab demanding to be left alone. You then told me to go after him, saying I was probably the only one that he’d listen to, so I did.”

Professor Sycamore nodded slowly, and Mairin could tell that he knew this story. She smirked to herself– she knew she wasn’t insane.

She hesitated. “Then... Then...”

“Then I treated you like you were the scum of the earth,” Alain finished from behind Mairin, voice sounding gruff.

She said nothing.

“...And you remember nothing after that?” Professor Sycamore asked softly.

“I went to bed, and th-then I woke up...” Her throat tightened, stomach churning, and her voice was small. “In A-Alain’s room...”

Nobody spoke, but she could hear the sound of Alain’s footsteps walking away. She turned in time to see him staggering towards his chair, collapsing down into it. His hands were curled into fists, and he stared down at the floor.

“And you're positive that you remember nothing after that?” Sycamore asked again.

Mairin hated how everyone was staring at her. “Yes. Nothing else.”

He let out a long sigh. “Mairin... That all did happen...” The professor's eyes were gentle. “But that was ages ago.”

“Five years ago,” Alain said hollowly.

Mairin struggled to breath for a moment, taking in their tones. She knew that they wouldn't lie to her... Mairin's mind stated racing as she took in the possibility.

There was the fact that everyone seemed... different. Not completely new, but still different. Mairin gulped slightly, uncertainly running her hands through her hair. The red hair fell down her shoulders and across her back– much longer than what she remembered last night– and in no way had it grown that long while she had slept.

Her eyes shifted to the Absol who watched her from the doorway– a Pokemon that had stuck by her side this whole morning, that others claimed she had named, and that acted as her own Pokemon– but yet she didn’t know her. Her breathing became ragged, slowly realizing that the only thing that made sense, that the only thing that could explain all these changes– was if yesterday hadn’t been yesterday, if there was a gap between what she remembered, and what she believed to have been yesterday.

Mairin looked down at her hands, they weren’t necessarily unfamiliar, but... She twisted them about, examining them. She frowned as she noticed white marks running down her arms, something she had never seen on herself before. But before she could exam them further her heart began to race– freezing up as she noticed a small silver band resting on a finger. She stiffened up more, bringing her left hand up closer, studying the beautiful ring.

It was thin and small, but the details were beautiful. The small band twisted about her finger, a beautiful emerald sprouting up from the top of the ring. Mairin felt her mouth go dry as she touched the ring, wondering how she hadn’t noticed it before. She twisted it, but was beginning to realize that it felt like it had always belonged there, and did not feel out of place like when she usually wore jewelry.

“Wh-what’s this?” Mairin whispered, instinctively shoving aside the ideas that were forming in her mind.

They turned to look at her as she studied the ring on her in shock. It shouldn’t be here– she never wore jewelry! Mairin hated the way her stomach tightened, throat clamping up.

She knew what this was, even if the idea sent chills down her spine– but there was only one reason someone would wear a ring of this quality on this finger.

Alain turned towards her, looking down at her with an unreadable expression. His gaze looked just as disbelieving as Mairin’s, but clearly for different reason. Alain closed his eyes, and when he opened them only the pain only could be seen in his gaze. He stood up, setting his left hand down on the table, carefully moving it forwards as he walked towards her. Mairin felt her blood turn cold, but still she leaned forward, looking down at the matching silver band on Alain’s fourth finger.

Wedding rings.

“Mairin...” Alain said slowly, and she pulled back.

She was missing something– Mairin couldn’t do anything but accept that. This lab– whenever it was– was not the same lab she had fallen asleep in last night. Her memories she saw as yesterday she knew in no way could be yesterday, because things had simply changed too much. Mairin didn’t want to believe it, but she had no choice but to accept that  _ something _ in her memory was missing.

She could accept that Chespie was now a Chesnaught, that Ruby the Absol was clearly hers, and that things were not the same that she had known.

But there was no way that she was married– let alone to her best friend.

“No,” Mairin said hoarsely, scooting her chair back as Alain came closer.

But she had woken up with him next to her.

“Mairin–” Alain began, but she rose to her feet.

“N-no!” She repeated a bit harsher, and Alain went still. He just looked down at her, those blue eyes unreadable as he watched her, his lip twitched. “I’m– no– not– I’m not–”

Professor Sycamore stepped forward. “...Alain, I believe it would be best if you were to go contact a doctor, this is a matter we shouldn’t keep waiting on.”

Alain didn’t reply, just staring at Mairin. She stumbled back on her feet, slowly moving towards the counter. Her hands pressed up against the cold marble, heart racing as she stared at Alain. Her throat was tight, memories of waking up haunting her mind more than ever. It wasn’t right, the idea wasn’t right at all... 

“M-mairin...” Alain whispered.

“Alain,” Sycamore said, tone stressed. “Please– you need to call someone. Um... Sophie– why don’t you and Cosette get Mairin some breakfast?” Professor Sycamore stepped towards Mairin, grabbing her shoulder. “Max, would you please go get Chespie, I’m sure he’ll want to be with Mairin right now,” He took in a deep breath, giving her a gentle tug, before guiding her back to the chair. She followed him and sat without a fight. “Mairin... just take it easy for now.”

Mairin buried her head into her hands as everyone slowly stood up from the table, and she dug her fingernails into her skin. This was just a dream... some messed up dream... this wasn’t happening, this wasn’t happening...

She let out a hiss of pain as nails dug into her skin, the pain very much real. She pulled her head back, watching as white marks faded from where her fingers had been, however the twisting white marks she saw before remained. Her heart thumped, hating the reality of this situation being placed in front of her.

“This isn’t happening...” Mairin whispered.

“You’re not alone with that thought,” Sophie said, placing her hands on Mairin’s shoulders. “Don’t worry though, we’ll be right here until this can be... fixed.”

Mairin pulled away uncertainly, while Cosette flashed her a smile. “Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

She shook her head– she doubted she could stomach anything right now– and the forced cheerfulness from them wasn’t helping. Cosette frowned, while Sophie began to urge her to at least have some toast to eat. Mairin didn’t say a word, but yet she heard the sound of the toaster being pressed down a few moments later– it seemed she would be getting breakfast no matter what.

Mairin stared down at her hand– at the wedding ring on her finger.

Married?!

She had never dated before– how on earth could she be married?! That was something that she had never planned on, something she had thought would never happened. There was no way she could be married, who’d want someone like her?

Apparently Alain...

She cringed at the thought. Alain was her best friend– he was like a brother! If he had ever asked her out she would have probably said no, and if she would have asked him she was sure Alain would simply laugh because it would of course be a joke! She closed her eyes, rejecting the image of her and Alain being together– it simply wasn’t right.

Though Mairin did have to admit that the ring was beautiful, just what she would have wanted in a wedding ring.

...But not with Alain.

Mairin grabbed the ring, struggling to pull it off from her finger. It took a few moments, but she swiftly set the silver ring on the table– that was much better. Mairin ignored the bear feeling her finger now had, and rubbed at where the ring had been.

She bit her lip, remembering this morning, waking up with Alain’s arms around her... Mairin slowly took it in, hating how thought of her and Alain being  _ together _ would solve the last piece of this mess she had woken up to. They were married, husband and wife, and that would explain why they slept in the same bed.

But she didn’t want to accept that she was married.

Heck, the only reason why she was even considering this whole... missing memories thing was because it was the only way to explain everything! That still didn’t mean it settled with her, nor that she was content with the idea.

Because if this was all true, then that meant five years worth of memories were gone. Five years of her life– her adult life– had just suddenly vanished.

She rubbed her head, but aside from the headache that was forming from the confusion, there was nothing to suggest how she could have possibly lost all of these memories... Maybe she hadn’t lost anything, but perhaps this was just a strangely realistic dream! Or an Illusion created by a Zoroark! She bit her lip in thought, maybe she ate some bad berries? Or had she gotten drunk? There were so many other possibilities besides her memories being gone!

Because in what world would she marry her best friend?! She would have never risked her relationship with Alain!

...Even after that fight last night...

Mairin sat up slightly as a plate of buttered toast was set in front of her. If this whole thing were real, then that meant there had been no fight yesterday. Whatever had happened to Alain had been five years ago– merely a distant thing in the past!

“Mairin, you need to eat something,” Sophie said.

Tears stung her eyes– she needed to get her mind off of things.

She picked up a slice of toast, placing it slowly in her mouth. “Um... who’s the blue haired guy?”

“Hm...? Oh, that's Max, he started working here several years back,” Sophie said.

“He and Alain are very good friends,” Cosette added. “They battle a lot.”

The toast tasted horrible, like cardboard in her mouth. Mairin still forced herself to chew, but her stomach was twisting, a queasy feeling coming over her. Chills raced through her, knowing all to well what this dreaded feeling was.

Mairin sprang to her feet, racing towards the sink. She pushed past Sophie as a sickening taste rose in her throat. Her stomach heaved, the sensation of throwing up running through her. She hovered over the sink, the horrible scent rising up as she emptied her stomach.

“Mairin!” Sophie cried, quickly hurrying to her side, and her stomach heaved again.

“W-water...” Mairin whispered, a foul taste lining her mouth. “Please...”

Sophie swiftly guided her away from the sink and the horrible smell, while Cosette grabbed a pitcher of water from the fridge. Mairin thankfully took the glass of water that was offered her, chugging the liquid down.

“Sit down,” Cosette insisted, but Mairin shook her head.

“I... I want to go lay down...” Mairin whispered, stomach still twisting.


	4. Chapter 4

    Mairin spent the rest of the morning laying down on the couch, her stomach churning. Max had brought Chespie down from her old room, and the grass type had refused to leave her side since. She had been unable to eat another bite of food, however she did occasionally sip from the water Absol forced people to bring in for her.

    She also had a bowl near her in case she threw up again, but nothing worse happened than her stomach twisting about.

    She just couldn’t bring her body to calm down, clearly too overwhelmed by what was happening to her. She just laid there, not having the will to move as Chespie gently rubbed her back with his giant claws. The action was soothing, and the only thing that made an attempt to distract her mind from what was really happening.

    She looked down at her arms, staring at the twisting white marks that ran up them. She traced her finger up one, the marks going all the way to her shoulder. She frowned– it looked so unnatural– as if she had wrapped ribbons around her arms and had then stood out in the sun. She ran her hand across the twin marks on her other arm, but yet she got no hint to where they had come from.

    She leaned over, still feeling painfully sick, but the realization was worse. There was just so many questions she had, and no answers that she liked to explain it. The reality of what she was facing hurt.

    She was missing several years worth of memories.

    Her stomach shifted unhappily at the thought, and she pressed her eyes shut.

    What was she supposed to do?

_“My wife doesn’t joke around!”_  A sharp voice echoed from down the hallway, and Mairin flinched. Amber eyes flickered open as Alain walked into the room, talking to someone on the phone. “I need to bring her in as soon as possible.”

    He didn’t seem to notice that Mairin was in the same room as him. He paused, listening to the other end of the phone.

    “Yes, I did call her regular doctor– and he’s the one that told me to contact you,” Alain said, gritting his teeth.

    Mairin sat up slightly, blood rushing to her head at this action. She watched Alain, who had started pacing the length of the sitting room. Mairin wondered if everything was flowing smoothly in the main part of the lab– since both she and Alain weren’t working at the moment.

    ...She did still work here, correct? Mairin’s mind started racing, what if she worked somewhere else? Perhaps that’s why Max had been hired, to replace her? Clearly Alain still was involved with the lab, since he had the white lab coat on.

    “I’m not waiting a month,” Alain growled into the phone. He paused from his pacing, back turned towards her. Chespie put an arm around her, and she could dimly hear mumblings coming from the other end of Alain’s phone. “...Fine. We’ll do that. Schedule her in as soon as possible.”

    More mumblings from the phone, just quiet enough so Mairin couldn’t pick out what they were saying.

    “Thank you. We’ll be there,” Alain said, and then he hung up the phone. His knuckles were white as he slipped it away into his lab coat, jaw gritting together as he let out a frustrated sigh. Mairin watched as he ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath. “For Yveltal’s sake...”

    Mairin parted her dry lips, but she couldn’t find the desire to speak. Ruby and Chespie watched her for a moment, their eyes urging her to say something. But she could only stare up at Alain, still in disbelief at what was taking place. Now that she was really watching him, she could pick out several differences from what she remembered. Nothing drastic, but clearly he carried himself differently than the Alain she had known.

    “Mairin,” Alain said, sounding startled as he turned around. Blue eyes met amber, and she looked away. “I didn’t realize that you were there,” He looked over her pale form, and the blanket draped over her, and his eyes narrowed. “You look sick! Did something happen while I was on the phone?”

    Mairin gulped, forcing herself to speak. “I’m f-fine... just overwhelmed...”

    Alain nodded, shifting uncertainly. “That’s understandable... considering what’s happening...” He hesitated, studying the way she curled up slightly. Alain closed his eyes, looking like he was stopping himself from flinching. “...I can tell that you’re still not comfortable around me. I’ll leave.”

    Mairin jerked her head up– but before she could say another word he was out the door, heading off to another part of the lab. Mairin stared at where he had been moments before, her hand halfway lifted to stop him. She sat there for a moment, before letting the limb fall to the couch. She closed her eyes, laying back down.

    She... she wasn’t scared of him... he didn’t have to leave.... She wasn’t scared of her best friend...

    She was scared of the fact that he was her husband– but not  _him!_  She was upset at what he had said to her... years ago– but not at the person he was now!

    “A-alain...” Mairin whispered weakly, wanting him to come back.

    She wanted her best friend. She wanted her big brother.

    Tears stung her eyes– Alain wasn’t that person anymore. When he looked at her he wouldn’t see her as a little sister that needed comforting, but as a wife. Alain wouldn’t see his best friend, but a spouse.

    She wrapped her arms around her, and Chespie draped the blanket over her as she started crying. She was starting to realize just how terrified she was– because the person she was closest to wouldn’t see her in the way that would comfort her. A new relationship had been formed, one that she didn’t know or want. The Alain she wanted wasn’t here, and the one she remembered had left painful memories.

    And Mairin felt more alone than ever.

* * *

    Mairin’s appetite had managed to return somewhat by dinner time, and her empty stomach was more than happy to join everyone around the dining room table. She was still wearing the same outfit she had woken up in, but Chespie had brought her the green jacket she had seen in Alain’s room this morning.

    It was clearly hers, since it fit her just right, but still Mairin pushed the thought of where it had been out of her mind. Instead she awkwardly sat at the edge of her chair, staring down at her hands. She studied the finger where the ring had been, and wondered what had happened to it. She had left it on the table, but it clearly wasn’t here anymore.

    She was just glad that no one had tried to give it back.

    Dinner was served up in silence– no one seemed to know what to say. Mairin was sure that she had somehow disturbed the normal seating arrangements– but she had sat herself between Sophie and Cosette, refusing to move. She and Cosette took up one end of the table, Alain and Max on the other. The professor and Sophie sat on each end of the table, looking over their lab family in silence.

    Mairin had a feeling that she was usually next to Alain, but right now she wasn’t even sitting across from him.

    “Mairin,” Cosette said after several minutes. “You need to eat something.”

    Mairin was jerked out of her thoughts, and that’s when she realized that she had done nothing but chase her food around her plate with a fork. She gave an uncertain smile, before stabbing her fork into the ravioli and raising it to her mouth. She had to choke the food down, the smell of the ravioli overwhelming her as she tried to eat.

    But still she managed to get through dinner with only several side glances being thrown her way.

    “Were you able to get a hold of anyone, Alain?” Professor Sycamore asked, breaking the silence.

    “...Dr. Tambert,” Alain replied in an colder tone. “His assistant wasn’t too bright, but the doctor himself gave us an appointment for tomorrow. Basically just a quick check up, to see what he’s working with, then we’ll schedule another and longer appointment from there.”

    Alain shoved a forkful of salad into his mouth, chewing it as if it had just insulted his mother.

    Professor Sycamore nodded. “Sounds good, we’ll just have to take things easy until tomorrow,” He smiled across at everyone. “I am putting all major research projects on hold, for now we just need to keep this lab running, and make sure Pokemon and trainers are taken care of, but actual research can wait.”

    “No,” Mairin said softly. “Don’t stop everything because of me.”

    He gave her a gentle smile. “Mairin, you were involved with several of those projects, we wouldn’t be able to carrying them on without you. Also, I think it would be best if we weren’t weighed down with anything else right now.”

    Mairin looked down guilty– because of her the lab’s projects were being stopped. Her grip on her fork tightened slightly, just because her life was messed up didn’t mean that it had to interfere with everyone else’s.

    “Do we have a cot laying around by chance?” Alain asked, looking at Professor Sycamore.

    “A cot?”

    He shrugged. “If not I’ll just take a sleeping bag then, I know we have plenty of those.”

    “You are not thinking of leaving!” Sophie exclaimed, and Alain rolled his eyes.

    “No, of course I’m not leaving,” He muttered, pushing his last few bites of food about his plate. “But I am going to need somewhere to sleep tonight.”

    Professor Sycamore frowned. “You will sleep in a bed like everyone else in this lab.”

    Alain glared at him. “There are six of us in this lab, but only four beds. That worked out just fine before all this, but I will not make Mairin share a bed with me. She’ll take our room, and I’ll camp out in the main room or something.”

    Mairin’s eyes widened– she may have disrupted the work of the lab, but no one was going to be kicked out of their room because she lost her memories. “No. I’ll take a sleeping bag,” Mairin said quietly. “You keep your bed and your room.”

    Alain glared in her direction. “It’s not mine, it’s ours– and there’s no way I’m making you take the ground with your condition. You will have the bed.”

    Mairin shook her head. “No, I want you to have it.”

    Alain’s expression darkened. “You are taking the bed– _and that’s final.”_

    Mairin flinched, her eyes quickly darting down to her plate. Shivers ran through her, but her voice fled. She couldn’t sleep in Alain’s room, no matter whose it was now, she only saw it as Alain’s room...

    “Enough,” Professor Sycamore said. “I’m pretty sure we have a spare mattress up in the attic of this place, and we have plenty of clean sheets. After cleaning up dinner me and Max can go up there and bring it down,” Sycamore glanced at Mairin. “Would you be most comfortable in your old room?”

    She gave a short nod. “Y-yes.”

    “Alright,” Professor Sycamore gave a pointed glare at Alain. “That’s settled then.  _No one_  is taking the floor, and Mairin will be in her old room. Everyone is in a bed, and in a familiar place,” He sighed. “Alain, you help Mairin move some of her stuff from your room, you’ll know what she’ll need.”

    “We’ll clean up,” Sophie said. “No need for you guys to worry about the kitchen.”

    Max scowled. “No, we’ll help you guys clean up dinner.”

    Cosette laughed. “We’d much rather clean up then haul a bed around– you boys have fun with that,” She flashed Sophie a grin, and the two females giggled like they were teenagers. “Oh, and don’t you worry about anything Mairin, you just rest.”

    “I want to help,” Mairin said– just because she was missing memories didn’t mean she couldn’t do anything.

    “You can help me move your stuff,” Alain said. “Decide what you’ll want in your room.”

    “O-okay,” Mairin whispered– through her insides shriveled as she realized she was going to be alone with Alain.

    Everyone finished dinner in silence.

* * *

    “...Right side of the closet is your stuff, left’s mine– same with the dresser,” Alain explained as he opened the door to his room. “I’ll go hunting for a dresser or something to put in your old room tomorrow– but for now just grab the clothes you’ll want for tonight and tomorrow.”

    “O-okay,” Mairin whispered as Alain walked into the room, however she lingered by the doorway. Her eyes flickered about the room she had woken up in, shivering. Her eyes shifted to the queen bed, and she flinched.

    Alain had pulled a wicker basket down from a shelf, opening the lid and peering in. He set in on the bed, then headed over to the desk, grabbing a brush that was laying there. He headed back towards the basket, placing it in, before looking at Mairin.

    “You can come in here,” Alain said. “This is your room too.”

    Mairin hesitantly stepped in, before heading over towards the closet. She slid the closet doors to the side, and as promised they were filled with clothes. She frowned as she looked over the feminine half of the closet, trying to look for anything remotely familiar, something to show this was hers. She shifted through the various outfits, but was startled to find that most of the items weren’t things she even recognized. Surely she hadn’t changed sizes that much in the last few years! And it wasn’t like she was someone that had to have the latest fashion...

    She paused as she noticed a green hat tucked away on the back of a shelf. She smiled, pulling it out as she studied it. It was old and worn, but probably would still fit her, even if it was from when she was ten. She brushed off from dust, knowing that she’d never wear something like this now days, but having something familiar was comforting. It wasn’t hard to spot a backpack after that, and she sat the hat in the bottom of the bag, before looking for something suitable to wear.

    She settled for a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt to wear to bed, knowing just how cold she could get at night, and then jeans with a nicer shirt for tomorrow. She set them into the bag, feeling uncertain, and she had to keep telling herself that these clothes were hers, and that they would fit. Mairin then turned towards the dresser that sat along one wall, but paused as she reached for one of the drawers that Alain said was hers.

    She looked back at him, heart racing.

    He was watching her, having the wicker basket in one hand, and several other items in the other. “That’s yours,” He said with a nod, probably thinking that she was unsure about the drawers. “You can open it.”

    Mairin stared down at her feet, shifting. “Um...”

    “Oh,” Alain said after a moment, realizing where her hesitancy was coming from. He quickly headed towards the door. “...Sorry. I’ll wait outside.”

    Mairin shivered slightly, but pulled open the drawer, searching for the last clothing items she’d need. She stuffed them into the bottom of the backpack, before zipping it up. She shouldered the bag, looking about the room one last time. Nothing in particular caught her eye, everything just foreign and intimidating– and she swiftly headed towards the door, glad to be free of Alain’s room.

    As promised he was waiting for her. He held his hand out towards her, but she couldn’t bring herself to take it. Awkward silence fell across them as he withdrew his hand, and they headed towards her room in silence.

    “Looks like they’re still bringing down the bed,” Alain said uncertainly as they went in. The door was open, and they could see the bedframe had been placed in the room, but no mattress. Some of the Pokemon’s things had been pressed to the side, and Mairin hoped that they wouldn’t be upset with her sleeping in here. She tried to tell herself it was fine– they were her Pokemon after all.

    “Yeah,” She whispered. Mairin set her bag down in the corner, not sure of what else to do.

    “Okay,” Alain said, setting the stuff he had brought onto the ground. He pointed to the wicker basket. “That’s where you keep your toiletries and stuff is, I’m sure you remember we can’t keep all of our stuff in the bathrooms at once.”

    “I remember that,” Mairin replied quietly– the bathrooms in the lab didn’t have much in the way of storage space. In her memories she kept her stuff in a small cloth bag, but it seemed she had more things now.

    “Then there’s your purse– your phone and wallet is in there, and whatever else you keep in it. Don’t lose that,” He then pointed to the last two objects– a Pokebelt and an amulet. “Then finally your Pokeballs and key stone. Since you don’t remember... well, you got a keystone about three years ago.”

    For the first time that day, Mairin brightened up. “You mean I can mega evolve?”

    Alain smirked slightly. “I’m pretty sure it’s your Pokemon that mega evolve.”

    She smiled back, and for a moment the tension between them faded... but only for a moment. Mairin’s smile quickly vanished, and she looked away. She let her focus go to the belt, which had six Pokeballs on it. Six... including Ruby she only knew of four Pokemon she had ever captured. Her throat tightened– realizing that she had a two Pokemon she didn’t even know of.

    “What’s my team?” Mairin asked quietly.

    Alain stiffened slightly as she asked this, his eyes flickering towards the Pokeballs, then to her. He watched her for a moment, lips halfway parted as he considered his next words.

    “Well... you’ve already seen Chespie and Ruby– you have those two out the most. Then of course you should know Kiara... she’s evolved now,” He hesitated once more. “Then there’s Poppy, you hatched her from an egg a while back, and then finally you have Luke.”

    “And Ruby can mega evolve,” Mairin said, remembering the mega stone she had seen around the Pokemon’s neck.

    “...Luke can as well,” Alain said, before frowning. “At least, they should be able to... but I have no idea how your missing memories will affect your bond to them.”

    Mairin’s heart twisted. This amnesia... it just wasn’t affecting her, but everyone around her as well... She remembered how sorrowful Ruby had been yesterday once she realized that she didn’t know her... and now Mairin would have two more Pokemon that would have to learn that their trainer didn’t know them... But Kirara was evolved now, Mairin smiled slightly, trying to tell herself that was something to look forward to. She gulped once, but reached for the Pokeballs.

    Alain’s hand suddenly grabbed hers, stopping her.

    “Mairin, wait, please,” He said, and she stiffened up as he touched her. “Do me a favor, and don’t let any more Pokemon out until tomorrow.”

    “Wh-why?” Mairin asked, trying to pull her hand out of his. He paused, before letting her go.

    “Because we’ve all had a long day,” He said. “And learning of this was hard enough on Ruby, and hard on you. Tomorrow will be a new day, and everyone else will be there to help. Just get some rest, okay?”

    Mairin nodded slowly. “Okay...”

    He smiled softly. “Thank you. I am going to go help the others with your bed, alright? The attic isn’t exactly the easiest place to navigate,” He turned towards the door. “Call if you need anything.”

    “I don’t need you guys to babysit me,” Mairin snapped, harsher than she meant to. Alain paused in the doorway, but didn’t turn to face her. Silence filled the room, and for a moment she wondered if he was going to say anything.

    But instead he just walked out the door without another word.

    Something in Mairin shifted, but she just turned away. There were tears in her eyes, all of the pressure she had built up from today bearing down on her. The sun had barely even began to set, but she just wanted to sleep... of course it would be a few hours before it was even reasonable for someone her age to turn in, but she was sure that no one would think twice considering the state she was in.

    Not like she had a bed yet.

    She took in a deep breath, she could wait a little longer... then she could sleep..

    And Mairin hoped that when she woke up that this nightmare would be gone.

* * *

_“Stop poking me...”_  Mairin heard herself mutter. _“I’m sleeping...”_

    However the poking continued, causing Mairin to groan. She rolled over, the grainy sand of her bed gritting against her. The sleeping girl paused, before her eyes snapped open. A dark sky was laid out before her, countless stars shining above her.

    And a glowering Floette was glaring down at her.

     _“Bébé!”_  Mairin cried as she saw the yellow-flowered Floette, and she quickly sat up. The Floette placed her flower over her shoulder, no longer using it to poke Mairin awake.  _“It’s the middle of the night, what are you...?”_

    A wave of panic washed over Mairin– because she wasn’t saying any of these words. She was hearing them, she felt herself opening her mouth, but yet she had no control over herself. Her body was moving of its own accord, pushing itself into a sitting position. Mairin tried to cry out, but her body simply looked around without any care to what she wanted.

    They were in the middle of a desert.

    _“Crap...”_  Mairin ‘said’.  _“I was sleep walking again, wasn’t I?”_

    _“Flo!”_ Bébé confirmed with a nod.

    She let out a groan of pain, but forced herself to stand up. The desert was silent around them– nothing in sight but sand. Mairin rose to her feet, brushing off the grainy sand as she studied the ground. Her footprints came from the east, and she muttered under her breath.

   _“Great...”_  She muttered.  _“Hopefully we aren’t too far out from camp... Come on Bébé, let’s get back to Alain and the others... Bonnie’s going to freak if I’m not in our tent when she wakes up.”_

    Mairin’s panic was starting to fade, even though she still didn’t have control over herself. However she was slowly realizing that what she was seeing wasn’t real– this was simply a dream. It wasn’t too hard to piece together after a moment, and now that she was aware she was able to relax as the dream continued to play out.

    She watched as Bébé and her dream self matched through the desert, stumbling over sand dunes, shivering at winds that Mairin couldn’t even feel. It wasn’t the most exciting dream Mairin had ever had, though her vision of the place was very sharp. But besides that her senses in this dream were dim, and she couldn’t do much more than watch dream-Mairin hike.

  _“Sol!”_ A familiar voice cried out after several minutes of silent walking, and dream-Mairin paused. The girl slowly turned, and was able to make out a white shape standing on the hill of sand they had just finished hiking down. The Pokemon watched them with sharp red eyes, and dream-Mairin froze.

    ‘...Ruby?’ Mairin asked, surprised at the sudden appearance of the Absol she had just met in the waking world. Of course she had no control over her dreaming self, so her question went unvoiced.

    The Absol was clearly Ruby though– there was no mistaking that– but there was still some differences from the Pokemon that had been cuddling up with her today. This Absol had a much sharper look in her eyes, serious and tense. She was eying Mairin warily, and her fur had a rough look to it. And then, of course, there was no mega stone on this Absol– it was clearly a wild Pokemon.

   _“You!”_ Dream-Mairin snapped, and her voice sounded angry.  _“What are you doing out here– stop following me!”_

  _“Flo!”_  Bébé added, darting in front of Mairin, the Floette holding out her flower threateningly.

    The Absol said nothing, simply standing still as the wind rushed by her silky fur. Ruby continued to watch Mairin, her eyes locking on the human. She then lifted her head, the dark type looking skywards, then at Mairin again. Ruby went still once more for a moment, but then placed a foot forward.

   _“No!”_  Mairin snapped. _“Don’t come closer– the locals were right about you, you’re nothing but bad luck! Ever since you’ve shown up I’ve just been getting separated from everyone, getting these horrible headaches, and... and then the stupid sleepwalking! It’s your fault that I’m out here!”_

    The Absol let out a sigh, a puff of white air escaping her mouth. The night must have been cold, even in the desert, but since it was a dream that meant Mairin felt none of it. Ruby continued down the hill, making dream-Mairin tense even more.

    _“Ette!”_ Bébé declared, pointing her flower at Ruby as if it were a sword. The petals of the flower started to glow, the brightness quickly lighting up the night. Ruby narrowed in eyes in the harsh light, and a Dazzling Gleam was released.

   _“Use Energy Ball while she’s blinded!”_ Mairin ordered, and a glowing green orb started to form at the end of her flower. The Energy Ball was released as the remains of the Dazzling Gleam faded, and a flash of purple could be seen from rushing towards Bébé.

    The Psycho Cut and the Energy Ball met mid-air– the Psycho Cut slicing the Energy Ball in two, and both attacks faded. Dream-Mairin flinched as if in pain, while Ruby was charging down the hill, her claws draped in a dark energy of a Night Slash.

    _“Flo!”_ Bébé cried, forming another Energy Ball, racing forward to engage the Absol. The green sphere was once again launched, and Absol jumped up into the air. Mairin’s eyes widened, impressed at how much height the Absol had gained. She leapt right over the Energy Ball and the Floette, and landed in the sand behind the fairy type.

    Ruby then ran forward, charging straight at Mairin. Dream-Mairin froze up, bracing herself as the Pokemon ran right at her– but the Absol came to a halt several feet away.

    Red eyes peered into amber ones, Ruby’s gaze intense and cold. The Absol maintained eye contact, even as Bébé let out an angry cry.

    Then the Absol turned away, glowing with a Quick Attack as she raced off into the desert night.

    Bébé let out an angry chitter as the dark type ran off, waving her flower about in a fit of rage. Then the fairy type turned back towards her trainer, quickly bolting to Mairin’s side. She darted up towards her shoulder, settling down and crossing her arms. Dream-Mairin was shaking slightly, but still gave the Floette on her shoulder a thankful smile.

    And then the dream melted away from around Mairin, and she drifted away into the darkness of sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

    “Mairin, they’ll only let family in with you for something like this,” Professor Sycamore said. “Out of all of us Alain’s the only one that can go in with you.”

    “B-but...” Mairin said weakly, but could think of no counter argument as she helped the professor put the dishes away. She shifted her feet, her fingers dancing along the edges of a plate. “Then can I take myself?”

    “...Please don’t take this personally, but I don’t think you should be driving right now,” Professor Sycamore said. “It’s just a small check up, Mairin, the doctor’s just going to see if they can get any hint of what happened to you,” The professor took the plate from her, since she was making no effort to put it away. “Mairin, you know you can trust Alain– he cares about you very much.”

    “B-but–”

    “But what you remember happened years ago,” Professor Sycamore said firmly. “I know you don’t remember it– but Alain regrets what he said to you.”

   _That’s not why I’m worried..._ Mairin thought to herself, but she held her tongue. It was quite clear that Professor Sycamore wasn’t going to let anyone else take her to see this specialist. And no matter how much space she wanted between her and Alain... she wanted a way to get her memories back more.

    “...Why then?” Mairin asked. “Why did he do that? What was in that letter?”

    Professor Sycamore closed the now-empty dishwasher. “That is a question you need to save for Alain. Just because time has past doesn’t make it my story to tell. Now go make sure you’re ready– you and Alain should be leaving soon if you want to get to Dr. Tambert’s on time.”

    Mairin knew that she was now excused from the kitchen– and with an unnecessary huff she turned away from the professor and out into the hallway.

    This morning had most certainly gone off better that yesterday– and waking up in her own room had most certainly helped. She still had felt queasy, and she wasn’t sure if it was from the events of yesterday or the unsettling dream, but she had been able to eat a proper breakfast.

    And now she was off to see a doctor about her amnesia.

    With Alain.

    “Ready?”

    Mairin jerked her head up as she heard a familiar voice speak to her, and there stood Alain, a set of keys in his hand. He watched her with cold blue eyes, his black leather jacket on. Mairin noted it was a different one than from her last memory– but this one was of a similar design. Mairin figured he had finally outgrown his other one, or perhaps it had gotten ruined, and this was merely a replacement. He had gone through several since they first met.

    “Y-yeah...” Mairin muttered.

    “Good,” Alain said. “You need to get out, you’ve been cooped up in the lab for long enough.”

    “It’s only been a day,” Mairin said uncertainly, following after him as they headed down the hallway. Alain let out a long sigh, and she could imagine the exasperated look on his face.

    “No– the day before you lost your memories you didn’t go out either. You said you weren’t feeling up to it,” He paused for a moment. “Remind me to mention that to the doctor– if you can even remember that.”

    He said the last part bitterly.

    Her eyes narrowed– this wasn’t her fault! Mairin opened her mouth to retort like she always did when Alain got this way, but the words got caught in her throat. She didn’t know how to respond, and she felt her mind clamming up because of that. Sweat started forming on her skin, and she raised her hands to her head.

    “Coming?” Alain asked coolly after a moment, standing at the end of the hallway. Mairin shivered– he keep going back and forth between soft and caring, to hard and distant– and she hated it.

    She just wanted her best friend.

    Alain walked back towards her, grabbing her wrist before forcing her to follow him down the hallway. She let out a yelp of surprise, stumbling as Alain dragged her along. He didn’t even glance at her as he lead her down the hall.

    “L-let go of me!” Mairin managed to stutter out after a minute– and Alain released her.

    “Then keep up,” Alain said, opening the door, and he pointed with his head. “After you.”

    She gritted her teeth, but headed outside. She was startled as she walked out in harsh sunlight, she blinked rapidly, her eyes trying to adjust as Alain shut the door behind them. Heat washed over her skin, it was quite clearly summer time.

    “Mairin, I don’t want to be rude, but we can’t be late,” Alain said, snapping Mairin out of her stupor.

    “I... I just wasn’t expecting the heat,” Mairin said softly. “Last time I was outside it was autumn...”

    Fall was one of her least favorite seasons– because it meant the wonderful summer was over, and the dreaded winter was on its way. Here she had been expecting the coolness of autumn– but instead she got to embrace summer once more. She wasn’t quite sure what the month was, but she was more than happy that it was summer once again.

    His expression softened. “They’ll be plenty of time to be outside later, but we need to go now.”

    She sighed, but followed him towards a black car parked out on the street. He pressed a small button on his keys, the lights flashing as the doors unlocked. Mairin reached for the passenger door as they approached, but Alain beat her to it, holding it open for her. Mairin heistated at the gesture, before climbing in.

    By the time Alain got around to the driver’s seat she was buckled in, leaning her head against the door, body carefully angled away from Alain so she didn’t have to look at him. Tensions were high enough for her, and his flickering dispositions just weren’t helping. He started the car in silence, pulling out onto the busy road with a single glance over her shoulder. Mairin bit her lip– from what she remembered she hadn’t even been driving for a year now, and she wondered just how much experience she had forgotten.

    That one thought quickly opened her mind, and right away her brain became to explore every possibility of what had gone missing from her mind. Five years... five whole precious years of her life had just been torn from her... what if that wasn’t all she was missing? What if more moments of her life were gone, and she just hadn’t even realized it?!

    She began to rack her brains, delving deeper in her memories as she tried to pull up everything she could. Everything to childhood memories, to random facts, to names of people she had met. She met no barriers of any kind, able to dig through her mind with ease– everything seemed fine.

    Until she reached the fight with Alain– then everything jumped straight to yesterday.

    “Don’t stress yourself,” Alain said, breaking the silence. “I’m sure you have plenty of that already.”

    She shifted her gaze, just in time to see Alain pulling his eyes back towards the road. Mairin knew that she was easy to read, but still it was uncomfortable to know that her every action was being watched.

    “I’m just trying... to make sense of everything,” Mairin said. “My memory seems fine to me, nothing seems blurry or out of reach... everything's there... up to the fight, that is.”

    Alain’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.

    “What happened that night, Alain?” Mairin asked. “What was in that letter?”

    “...Bad memories, and bad news,” Alain said after a moment, voice monotone. “Things I’d rather not discuss while driving,” He glanced at her for a moment. “I’ll tell you tonight– alright? I explained what happened once, and I can do it again... but I’d rather not dwell on it, okay?”

    Mairin nodded. “You made that clear, um... a few years back.”

    His jaw tightened. “There are many things in my life I wish I could change– but what I said to you was one of them. I was upset, and I had no right to take it out on you,” He pulled to a stop at a red light, and he then turned to look at her. “Mairin, I’ve said this many times before, but you need to hear it again– I’m sorry for what I said. I wasn’t just snapping, I was purposely trying to say things that I knew would get to you– but please know that those things weren’t true!”

    She opened her mouth to respond, but it was then the light turned green. Mairin swiftly looked away, muttering. “Green light.”

    Alain drove forward, and made no further attempts to engage in conversation the rest of the drive.

* * *

    “...Any physical symptoms or events that could possibly be linked to your missing memory?”

    Doctor Tambert was an older man, and he spoke in an slow, rough voice– one that made Mairin want to cringe. He was nice, not warm per se, but nice– but that didn’t change the fact that Mairin hated the way he spoke.

    “Um... not that I know of?” Mairin said uncertainly. “Well, I guess I felt pretty sick yesterday, throwing up and stuff...”

    “Possibly a result of stress, especially if you show no symptoms today,” Tambert said slowly.

    “Actually, she wasn’t feeling well the night before either,” Alain added.

    “And I have a slight headache right now,” Mairin said after a moment, her head starting to throb a bit more. It was nothing she couldn’t handle– but the headache had appeared shortly after Dr. Tambert had called them back, and it was only getting worse.

    The older man frowned. “Nothing conclusive. What you describe could be many things– whether the body reacting to the stress you have been going through, or perhaps a cold that has no ties to your missing memories,” He sat up. “If it is stress you cannot let it hinder you– stimulation will be very important if we are going to get you through this.”

    “Do you have any idea of what could have happened to her?” Alain asked, making no effort to mask his stressed voice.

    “Mr. Vide, you and your wife have been here for only fifteen minutes,” The doctor adjusted his glasses. “However what I have gathered is that it doesn’t appear that any recent physical trauma caused her lack of memories, and it also seems that you are both telling the truth. We will need to schedule further appointments, and I would like to give her a CT scan as soon as possible, to see if we can locate anything abnormal.”

    Alain scowled. “Telling the truth? Of course we’re telling the truth!”

    Tambert sighed. “Unfortunately it’s not the first time people have attempted to lie on such things for attention, but I have gotten no sign from my Espurr that suggests you have been lying, and he is quite keen.”

    Mairin thought everything he was saying was nothing but good– the doctor believed them and intended on helping them– but yet Alain tensed up. Mairin froze up as Alain grabbed her shoulders with his hands, fingers digging into her skin.

    “You have a psychic type out?” Alain snarled.

    Tambert frowned. “Yes I do, his bed his under my desk. I specialize with the mind, it is only natural that I would have a Pokemon that does the same,” Alain let out a sound that resembled a growl, and Tambert raised an eye. “What is a matter? It is not like a little Espurr could read your mind, he simply picks up on the natural waves emulating from the mind, and wavering ones tends to indicate lying. It is no more intrusive than studying one’s body language–”

    “Return it,  _now,”_ Alain hissed, pulling Mairin close to him.

    The doctor scowled. “I’m afraid you don’t have the right–”

    “She’s sensitive to psychic energy–  _return it now!”_  Alain roared, and the doctor blinked. After a moment he pulled a heal ball out of his pocket, aiming it under his desk.

    There was a flash of red right as the unseen Pokemon was returned, but still Alain’s grip on her didn’t loosen. Mairin blinked uncertainly, wanting to pull away from Alain– but then she slowly realized that the throbbing in her head was starting to die down. Mairin froze up, startled as her headache slowly started to seep away.

    “M-my headache–” Mairin began, blinking.

    “We should of brought Ruby,” Alain growled. “She would have taken care of this...” He glared at the doctor. “If any of your scans or treatments involve psychic Pokemon, then we’re leaving.”

    The old doctor frowned. “...Some do, but there are alternatives we can do instead. It would be similar with how Pokemon doctors would work with dark types on such things, since psychic energy has no effect on them,” His frown deepened. “I... I have never heard of a human being this sensitive to psychic radiation though–”

    “Well now you have,” Alain spat. “And you won’t press the topic,” He stood up, harshly yanking Mairin to her feet. “I believe our appointment is over now– I’ll call you later to make another, but I think it would be best if we left for now. Come on, Mairin.”

    And then without another word Alain dragged her out of the office. Mairin gritted her teeth as she was forced to stumble over her feet, and she was sure she would have fallen face first if it weren’t for Alain’s grip.

    “For Xerneas’ sake, stop dragging me around!” Mairin exclaimed, struggling to free herself from Alain. “You had no reason to treat the doctor that way!”

    Alain stopped suddenly, looking back at her in mild surprise. She scowled at him, and after a moment his surprised faded away, and he rubbed at his temple with his free hand. His other one remained around her wrist, and a sharp jerk was all Mairin needed to pull free. She shifted as they stood in receptionist area of the office, but fortunately there was no one to witness this display.

    “...You... don’t... remember...” Alain said slowly, eyes wide– as if he had just realized this fact.

    “I am well aware of that,” Mairin snapped. “So would you please care to explain why you acted that way back there?”

    Alain was looking at her as if he had never seen her before. “You don’t remember.”

    “Alain!”

    He blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts. “I– um, well...” He closed his eyes. “The headache you were getting... you should have told me sooner– you usually do. I would have done something about it.”

    Mairin touched her forehead, the throbbing pain now a moment of the past. “I... I didn’t even think twice about it, considering how I was feeling yesterday,” She looked up at Alain. “You told the doctor I was sensitive to psychic moves or something... since when?”

    He hesitated, shifting back and forth on his feet. He was watching her with that startled look, scanning her every reaction. She could practically see the wheels turning in his mind, considering the situation she knew nothing about. Finally he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he composed himself.

    “It’s... it’s something that started about four years ago...” Alain said slowly, his face now expressionless. “It’s not just psychic attacks... but being around psychic energy overwhelms you, brings on these headaches and usually you just... shut down.”

    Mairin took this in, lacing her fingers together. “Wh-why? What happened?”

    Alain’s gaze slipped to the side, jaw tightening slightly. “...Nothing.”

    Mairin leaned back. “What do you mean nothing?”

    Alain closed his eyes. “It just... happened one day, came on slowly... no clear cause or anything,” He shrugged. “I was just so use to it at this point that I didn’t even consider that you wouldn’t react... but in your memories this never took place so I guess you can handle it... differently.”

    ...Was he lying to her?

    What he was saying seemed to line up with what just happened... but his body language had suddenly become so defensive. He still wasn’t looking her in the eye, just shaking his head as he finished his explanation. He glanced at her, giving her a small smile, then reached for her hand.

    Mairin stiffened up as his warm fingers slipped between hers, and he suddenly let go of her.

    “...Sorry,” He said swiftly. “Old habits... let’s just get back to the lab.”

    With that Mairin followed him out the door, careful to remain several steps behind him.

 

* * *

    Mairin was sick by the time dinner came around that night.

    She had been feeling fine the whole day– and so she had thought that the horrible feelings from yesterday wouldn’t return. However as soon as she walked into the kitchen the smell of hamburgers washed over her, and her lunch decide it that it wanted to be on the floor.

    “S-sorry,” Mairin muttered as Cosette lead her away from the kitchen. “S-sorry, I’m sorry...”

    “This isn’t your fault,” Cosette said gently, but guilt twisted through Mairin, knowing that someone would have to clean up the mess she had just made. Her stomach churned unhappily at the thought, the acidy taste still lingering in her mouth. “Why don’t you go lay down, and I’ll have Chespie bring you up some water, and hopefully something you can stomach.”

    Mairin swiftly shook her head. “N-no, I don’t think I can eat anything...”

    “Mairin, you need to eat,” Cosette said as she guided Mairin towards her room. “It isn’t healthy.”

    Mairin looked away from Cosette, not sure of how to respond. She knew that should be eating, but right now even the thought of food made her want to throw up again. Mairin’s pace slowed down ever so slightly as they approached Alain’s room, and she couldn’t help but peer through the open door as she passed. Mairin was surprised to find that Alain was sitting cross legged on the bed with Ruby laying in front of him, the two of them looking like they were engaged in a deep conversation.

    Cosette lead her on though, and her view of Alain was torn away.

    “Are you two getting along now?” Cosette asked, noticing the way Mairin glanced over her shoulder.

    Mairin’s stomach started to twist again. “I– I guess?” Mairin stuttered. “I... I mean that I was just really startled yesterday, waking up with him next to me like that...” She closed her eyes. “Cosette, I don’t know what to do! Everytime he looks at me I... I know he’s looking at his wife.”

    “You are his wife,” Cosette said as they came to a stop outside of her bedroom door. “I know you don’t remember it, but you two loved each other.”

    Mairin looked up at her helplessly. “And that what scares me.”

    “That you two love each other?” Cosette asked, blinking.

    She lowered her head. “Knowing that he loves me... it’s honestly just as frightening as losing my memories! He’s my best friend Cosette– I see him as like an older brother!” She wrapped her arms around herself. “J-just knowing that he looks at me like we’re something more... knowing that he loves me when I don’t... it scares me!”

    Cosette simply laughed.

    It wasn’t a cruel or mocking laugh– but still the fact that someone saw her fears as humorous made Mairin wish she could just melt into the ground. Cosette placed a hand on Mairin’s shoulder, rubbing her arm in a comforting way.

    “This is all new to you, but you just need to give it some time,” Cosette smiled. “I’m sure you’ll be able to find your feelings eventually, even if your memories aren’t there,” She nudged Mairin towards the door, opening it. “Now you go get some rest, and call us if you need anything.”

    And just like she headed down the hallway, and Mairin was left alone.

    Her stomach seemed to have calmed down somewhat as she stepped into her room, however her heart was feeling heavier than ever. She trudged over to her bed, plopping down and burying her head into her hands. Her throat felt raw, though her stomach had seemed to finally calm down somewhat. She pressed her eyes shut, trying to keep back her tears of frustration.

    “Please...” Mairin muttered, to no one in particular. “I... I just don’t know what to do...”

    She lifted her head up, looking about her room, eyes lined with tears. She turned her head away in frustration, and that’s when her eyes caught sight of six gleaming red spheres. She paused as she looked at the Pokeballs, hesitating. She had said that she would wait until today before approaching them... and she wasn’t in the mood to wait for everyone else. These were her Pokemon after all, and just because she didn’t remember everything didn’t mean she couldn’t take care of herself.

    Mairin reached for the belt with her Pokeballs on it, pulling off the spheres and setting them on her bed. She looked over the six Pokeballs, pulling the three she recognized away– Chespie’s, Bébé’s, and Kiara’s. She knew that Chespie’s would be empty since he was downstairs, and so would Ruby’s since she was Alain.

    What would those two have to talk about?

    Mairin picked up Bébé’s Pokeball, turning it over in her hands. Just how different would everyone be? Was her relationship different with them than what she remembered? What about the Pokemon she didn’t know, how would they take to the fact that their trainer saw them as strangers?

    Mairin closed her eyes– worrying about it wouldn’t get her anywhere. She just needed to open the Pokeball and get this over with, and go from there.

    With that Mairin held Bébé’s Pokeball in hand, and pressed the release button.


	6. Chapter 6

    Mairin pressed the release button on Bébé’s Pokeball, closing her eyes as she felt the Pokeball expand and open. She wasn't sure what she should expect. Would Bébé be a Florges now? Was there bond the same as it had been, or had they grown distant? Closer?

    Mairin’s eyes opened when she realized there was no flash of light.

    An empty Pokeball sat in her hands, the sphere open, but with no Pokemon within. Mairin’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart starting to race. She turned the Pokeball over in a panic, as if the Floette would be hiding on the other side.

    She then paused, before letting out a small laugh as she realized she was overreacting. Had Chespie and Ruby been in their Pokeballs when she had first seen them? No. Mairin knew Bébé, and she would not be content to be in a Pokeball all day. She was probably down in the greenhouse of the lab, which was her favorite place to be, with all of the other lab Pokemon. Mairin closed the Pokeball, before attaching it back to the belt.

    “Ches!” A happy voice called as Mairin reached for another Pokeball, and she looked up in time to see Chespie and Ruby walking into her room, Chespie carrying a large glass of water. Mairin smiled up him as he handed her the glass. “Naught.”

    Ruby hopped up onto the bed to join Mairin, and she tensed when she noticed the Pokeballs laid out on the blanket. Ruby quickly sat up, looking over the five spheres, panic in her eyes. However after a moment she visibly relaxed, and stretched out on the bed.

    Chespie glanced towards the Pokebelt where Bébé’s Pokeball was. He blinked, looked at Mairin with unreadable eyes, and let out a small rumble.

    Mairin gave him a gentle smile in return, and he sat down on the ground. He was so tall however, that his head was level with hers as she sat on the bed. Mairin turned her focus back to the Pokeballs in front of her.

    “These are Chespie’s and Kiara’s,” Mairin said, pointing to the two Pokeballs she recognized. She looked at Ruby. “Would you mind telling me which one is yours?”

    The Absol extended a front leg, gentle nudging one of the other three spheres with a glossy black claw. Mairin picked it up, examining the sphere, before setting it near Chespie’s. She then picked up Kiara’s Pokeball, expanding it in her hand.

    “Ab?” Ruby tilted her head.

    “I want to see Kiara first, since she’s a Pokemon I actually remember,” Mairin said softly, taking a long sip of water from the glass Chespie had brought her. She set the water on the bedside table. “You guys will help me explain everything, right?”

    The two Pokemon gave out cries of agreement.

    Mairin smiled, then pressed the release button. The Pokeball burst open, a flash of white light filling the room as Kiara was released. Mairin squinted her eyes until the light died down, and focused her gaze on the Pokemon forming next to Chespie. She knew that Kiara was evolved, but still she couldn’t help but pull back at the beautiful Pyroar in front of her.

    “Py?” The Pyroar tilted her head, blinking her blue eyes as she looked around the room.

    “Hi Kiara...” Mairin said, her voice soft. Seeing Chespie evolved had caught her off guard, but that had been in a moment of so much confusion when she had needed someone by her side that she had embraced it. But seeing the once playful Litleo as a Pyroar, even though she had been expecting it, was something else.

    The Pyroar tossed her head, her flowing mane running down her back. Mairin reached out, gently patting her head, careful to avoid the fiery hairs of her mane. Kiara didn’t seem to realize that anything was off about Mairin, and frowned when Chespie let out a small rumble. Kiara pulled back, looking at the grass type with a questioning look.

    Mairin stayed silent, deciding that it would be best for her Pokemon to explain the whole situation.

    By the time Ruby and Chespie were done explaining Kiara turned her attention back towards Mairin, blue eyes lit with concern.

    “Don’t worry,” Mairin said gently. “I remember you... just as Litleo though.”

    This didn’t seem to comfort Kiara, the Pyroar laying her head on the bed, letting out a high pitched whine. Mairin poked her nose, trying to lift the mood of the room. Kiara went cross-eyed as she focused on the finger, then shifted her gaze up towards Mairin. She didn’t make a sound, but Mairin understood what she wanted to know.

    “...No. I’m afraid I don’t remember, um...” Mairin glanced down at the last two Pokeballs, scrambling for the names Alain had given her last night. “Luke and... Poppy,” Mairin then glanced at Ruby. “But... But with Ruby I could see how much she cares... and I trust her. I’m sure it will be no different for these two,” Mairin smiled. “You’re all my Pokemon no matter what, and I do care so much about you.”

    Ruby smiled at this, though her gaze remained distant. She watched as Mairin picked up the last two Pokeballs, deciding to let them both out at once. That way they could find out at the same time the fact that their trainer had no idea who they were.

    Mairin’s heart twisted guiltily at this thought.

    “Okay... here goes nothing...” She muttered.

    Mairin expanded the Pokeballs, then pressed her thumbs down on the release buttons. The two Pokeballs burst open, the flashes of light even brighter than when she released Kiara. Mairin closed her eyes, waiting until the beams of the light died down, and then she looked out at her last two Pokemon.

    Both of them were blue, but the similarities of the Pokemon ended there. The first one was tall and stoic, its short blue fur gleaming as he crossed his arms. He glared in Mairin’s direction, and Mairin quickly picked out the gleaming gem embedded into a metallic band on his wrist– a mega stone.

    Mairin examined the Lucario, deciding that this was Luke.

    She then turned her attention to the second Pokemon, who was completely different from the Lucario. First of all she was small, the little Pokemon wouldn’t even come up to her knees. The water type looked up at Mairin, beaming, and raced forward on its flippers. Mairin’s eyes widened as it jumped nose-first towards the carpet, a huge bubble forming from its nose. It used the balloon it just formed to bounce up, the momentum from the bubble popping springing the little Pokemon up onto the bed.

    The Popplio landed on her tail, front flippers held out as if she were saying ‘ta da’.

    She looked at Mairin expectantly, eyes lit up with excitement. Mairin smiled sweetly at the little Pokemon. “You must be Poppy.”

    Poppy’s flippers fell slightly, a look of confusion coming over the young Pokemon’s face. “Pop?”

    “Oh!” Mairin said, pulling back slightly. “Um, yeah, I guess I should explain first...” She looked towards Luke, who was watching her with narrowed eyes. “This, er, is kind of hard to explain, but–”

    “Absol sol, ab absol sol,” Ruby interrupted, her claws digging into the blanket as she explained their situation. The two Pokemon stiffened up as the Absol continued speaking, Chespie adding in a few things as Ruby went on.

    As soon as the Pokemon finished their explanation Luke wheeled around to face Mairin, his crimson eyes gleaming. He strolled across the room right towards the bed, causing Mairin to pull back as the Lucario snatched her wrist up with his paw. He then extended his other paw, pressing it to her chest, closing his eyes. The aura sensors on the side of his head spread out, and his paw started to glow with aura.

    Mairin’s heart was thumping, not even sure of where to begin with the cold bluntness Luke was presenting to her. After a moment he opened his eyes, releasing her and stepping back. His gaze didn’t seem quite as hard, his eyes looking a bit distant.

    “Lio?” Poppy asked, the little Popplio pressing her front flippers against Mairin’s leg. She looked up at Mairin, dark eyes watering.

    Mairin bit her lip. “...I’m afraid I don’t remember you,” She said softly, knowing what Poppy was asking. And even though she didn’t want to break the heart of this adorable little Pokemon, she couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I’m sorry.”

    The tears in the Popplio’s eyes spilled over, and she lowered her head. Her heart twisted as the Pokemon inched back from her, and Mairin couldn’t help but open out her arms. The Popplio stared at her, before leaping up. She wrapped her hands around the sleek water type, cradling her close to her chest.

    “Pop!” Poppy cried, burying her head against Mairin’s chin, trying to seek some comfort.

    “I’m sorry,” Mairin whispered again.

    “...Sol,” Ruby said after a moment, and Mairin glanced at the Absol. Ruby nodded towards the ground, and she shifted her gaze so she could see Luke leaning down. The Lucario picked up a small amulet with a rainbow gem, holding it up– her key stone.

    He glanced down at the mega stone on his wrist, then at Mairin. His expression didn’t change, but he held out the key stone. Mairin shifted the little Popplio in her arms, then accepted the outstretched gem. Her heart was thumping as she grabbed the key stone– which was freezing to the touch.

    Mairin gulped, but wrapped her whole hand around it.

    Ruby looked down at the Absolite around her neck, and Luke at the Lucarionite on his wrist. There was several moments of silence, all six of them holding their breath, watching the stones.

    No reaction of any kind– not even a glimmer of light.

    No bond connecting them.

    Mairin dropped the key stone, looking away so she wouldn’t see the disappointment in their eyes. Losing her memories was one thing, but now her Pokemon had physical proof that there was nothing left of whatever bond they had. She hated this, she hated the fact how so many people were being affected by her amnesia, how people were being hurt because she couldn’t even remember a face.

    Chespie let out a low rumble, trying to comfort Mairin. She glanced back in time to see Ruby and Kiara pressing their heads against her knee, and Poppy began to nuzzle Mairin. Luke kept his distance, but gave her a slight nod in what seemed to be a comforting gesture. Mairin blinked slowly, realizing that there were several tears on her face, and she wiped them away.

    “Th-thank you...” Mairin whispered. “I’m sorry... thank you...”

    Her Pokemon had changed over the years, and some she didn’t know– but Mairin couldn’t deny that she loved them. Her heart ached, bursting with emotion as she was surrounded by these Pokemon, all trying to quiet her tears, supporting her even when the person they knew was gone.

_Knock knock._

    Mairin jerked her head up towards the door, startled at the sudden knocking. The sound came again, followed by a gentle and unfamiliar voice. “Mairin? Is it alright if I come in? I have something for you to eat.”

    “I d-don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Mairin said uncertainly. Even though her stomach seemed to have calmed down, she had a feeling that as soon as she smelled something it would act up again.

    “It’s just a bowl of broth,” The voice said. “The professor thought it would be gentle on your stomach.”

    “...Al-alright then,” Mairin said uncertainly, and the door creaked open. A blue haired boy stuck his head in, and it took her a moment to recall his name. “...Max, right?”

    “Correct,” Max smiled. “I’m sorry if I make you uncomfortable at all– I am well aware that you don’t recognize me. Please just know that we’ve been friends for about four years now, but I won’t intrude at all until you feel more familiar with me again.”

    “Thank you,” Mairin said, unsure of what to make of him. She glanced about at her Pokemon, but none of them gave any sign that Max wasn’t someone to trust. Chespie smiled at him, and Poppy gave an enthusiastic wave of her flippers. Even Luke nodded respectfully.

    Max held a tray with a bowl and a glass of water on it, and he offered it to her as he stepped into the room. She gingerly took the tray, bracing herself as the smell of broth washed over her. Her stomach shifted, but no nausea overtook her– perhaps she would have a chance to stomach something today.

    She relaxed, carefully taking a spoon and dipping it into the broth. It was quite warm, barely not burning her as it slid down her throat. She let out a small sigh, glad to finally have something she could eat.

    “Do you think it’s the stress or a bug that’s making you sick?” Max asked.

    Mairin shrugged as she took another small bite. “Honesty, probably the stress, because there’s some moments I feel just fine...” She trailed off, not sure of what else to say. “Um, so... you say we’re friends. How did we meet?”

    Max frowned at the question. “...We met in Hoenn... my home region,” He spoke carefully, and by the way he shifted Mairin couldn’t help but wonder if he liked Hoenn. “Bonnie, Alain, and you... went on a trip there a few years back.”

    Mairin perked up slightly at the sound of a familiar name. “Bonnie went too?”

    Max smiled. “Bonnie’s my girlfriend.”

    So matchmaker Bonnie had finally found someone. Mairin smiled at this, wondering just how much Bonnie had changed since she had still been a teenager last time she had seen her– but she was probably an adult now. Mairin studied Max for a few more moments, before a frown came over her face, and she swallowed another spoonful of broth.

    “...When I first saw you I thought you were older than me, but now that I think about it, I’m the older one, aren’t I?” Mairin asked.

    Max laughed. “Yeah, by a few years, I’m Bonnie’s age,” Max watched her as she took a last few sips of her broth– since it was just liquid it hadn’t taken her too long to eat it all. “I can take your dishes down– do you want anything else?”

    Mairin’s stomach churned slightly, and she glanced out at her Pokemon, whom had been silent as she had eaten. “...Better not risk it.”

    He nodded, and he reached for her tray. “Okay, you just take it easy,” He said, and Mairin noticed he had a ring on his finger– one with a rainbow gem. “We’re all downstairs if you need anything or if you want to join us.”

    “I’ll stay here with my Pokemon,” Mairin replied– she was more calm around them. When she was downstairs her mood would just flip about, going from exhausted and overwhelmed to angry and panicked.

    “Alright then,” Max said, heading towards the door. He ran a hand along Chespie’s shell in a friendly manner, before stepping out into the hall. The door was shut behind him, leaving Mairin alone with her Pokemon once more.

    She looked out over her Pokemon– Poppy had settled down on Mairin’s lap, the Popplio watching her with big eyes. Ruby was at the end of the bed, her whole form tense. Kiara looked like she wished to join her and the others on the bed, but instead she lingered at the edge, her head resting on the bedspread.

    Luke stood off in the corner, leaning against the wall and seemed to have no intentions of coming closing.

    Chespie had stood up to approach the Lucario, making it so his large shell was facing Mairin. She watched her starter for a moment, a frown appearing over her face. She hadn’t seen many Chesnaughts in her life, but it didn’t take a professional to realize that the two blackened stumps on his shell weren’t natural.

    Chesnaughts were supposed to have four large spikes on the back of their shell, but yet Chespie only had two, the ones on his left side. On his right, instead of the two spikes Mairin knew should have been there, were two small bumps of where the spikes must have been once. But instead of a dark cream, the remains of the spikes looked as if they had been charred, now an ashy black.

    Mairin stared at her starter, wondering how she hadn’t noticed this before. She racked her brains, before realizing that every time she had seen Chespie he had either been holding her, or facing in her direction, and being such a large Pokemon he didn’t have much opportunity to turn around in these small rooms.

    “Chespie...?” Mairin asked in a hushed voice, and the grass type peered over his shoulder. “What happened to your back...?”

    Chespie blinked once, one large arm reaching back to touch where one of his larger spikes should have been, as if just remembering that it wasn’t there. Out of the corner of her eye Mairin noticed that Ruby tensed, and Chespie hesitated.

    “Ches...” Chespie let out a low rumble, giving Mairin a small smile as if to say he was okay. Mairin just started though, and really began to look over her Pokemon– was anyone else hurt?

    Poppy looked up at Mairin just as she looked down at her– the water type’s nose bumping against her chin. The Popplio let out a small giggle at this, rolling over and waving her flippers around. Mairin rubbed the Pokemon’s tummy after a moment, who let out a happy bark at this action.

    The Popplio was clearly young, and didn’t have a mark on her.

    Luke was still sulking in the corner and refused to even look in Mairin’s direction, so she couldn’t see if he had any scars. Chespie had returned to Mairin’s bedside, his back away from her so she couldn’t see his missing spikes. Ruby had a rugged look to her, but nothing of concern, just the worn-out look many Pokemon had if they came from rougher parts of the wild.

    Kiara too, looked unharmed, much to Mairin’s relief– but she was still left to wonder what had happened to Chespie.

**\------------------------------**

    Mairin dreamed of flying.

    It was yet another dream that she had no control over, even though she was well aware of the fact that she was dreaming. She didn’t care though, because the sensation of flying through the sky was amazing. She could feel the wind against her skin, though the sensation was dull since this was a dream, but the sense of weightlessness was strong. She swooped through the empty night sky, feeling pure happiness, this was where she was meant to be!

    A deep growl erupted her flight.

    Mairin paused mid-flight, hovering in the air as she slowly turned to face the growler. Chills raced through Mairin as she found herself looking into a burning golden gaze. The green, serpentine shape raced through the air, the huge being rushing right at her. A scream threatened to escape her throat, but her dream-self remained silent as the dragon rushed towards them.

    The Pokemon opened its mouth, a dark Hyper Beam forming. A deafening screech filled the sky– the deadly attack being released straight at her.

    Mairin jerked awake moments before the Hyper Beam hit her, covered in a cold sweat.

    A small gasp escaped her as she sat straight up, her heart racing as if she had just been running. It took her a moment to realize that she was in her room, and the feeling of weightlessness vanished from around her.

    Slowly her eyes started to adjust to the darkness around her, and she was able to make out the stirring shape of Ruby at the end of her bed. Mairin went still, not wanting to disturb the Pokemon, and after a moment the Absol relaxed as she drifted off into a deeper sleep. Mairin let out a small sigh, sweat clinging to her skin as she looked around.

    Chespie was sleeping in the corner of the room, the fighting type somehow content without even a blanket. He had been insistent on the matter, and Mairin supposed it would be hard to have a proper bed with that shell of his.

    Finally there was Poppy, the little Popplio curled up on the spare pillow. The water type hadn’t wanted to go back into her Pokeball when she had been returning her other Pokemon, and Poppy had been more than happy to sleep next to her. Mairin smiled at the small shape, stroking the Popplio’s smooth skin. Alain had said she had raised this Pokemon from an egg... did it look to her as a parental figure?

    Was this little Pokemon facing the fact that the one that raised her couldn’t even remember her?

    Mairin’s heart tightened– but before she could consider the issue further a sharp pain ran through her.

    She was hungry.

    Mairin pulled back in surprise at the sensation– ever since she had woken up without her memories she hadn’t felt hungry at all. At times her stomach had felt empty, but at the same time she had felt too sick to eat more than a few bites.

    But now her stomach was back online, and it was demanding food– now. She sat there for a moment, a strange sensation running through her. Yes she wanted food, but not just a snack from the kitchen. She clutched her stomach, blinking at the fact that what her body wanted at the moment was Tamato berries and milk.

    ...She didn’t even like Tamato berries.

    But still, just the thought made her stomach leap in excitement. She drew back slightly as her stomach rumbled, hoping that her Pokemon wouldn’t wake up. Mairin knew that she hadn’t been eating much the last few days, and she shouldn’t waste the moment of her body actually craving something, even if it was the middle of the night. She carefully crawled out of bed, looking back to make sure Poppy and Ruby were still fast asleep on the bed. Content that they were going to stay asleep, and she crept to the door.

    She glanced briefly back at Chespie in the corner as she grabbed the knob, but the grass type was fast asleep. At last she slipped into the hallway, determined to raid the kitchen. She didn’t turn on any lights, simply running a hand across the wall as she headed towards the stairs. She nearly tripped once she actually reached the steps, but managed to keep herself from falling as she made her towards the kitchen.

    She didn’t stay there long– she luckily managed to find several Tamato berries buried in the back of berry drawer of the fridge. She had swiftly eaten the spicy fruit, and though normally opposed to the flavor her body had welcomed the food with open arms. She finally washed down the strange snack with a glass of milk, which had gotten rid of the spiciness lingering in her mouth.

    She was mulling through her thoughts as she headed back to her room, barely paying attention to where she was going as she went up the stairs. Instinct seemed to take over as she prepared herself for hopefully a dreamless sleep from here on out– she did not want to wake herself up again.

    Mairin paused outside a door, reaching for the the knob without much thought. It wasn’t until she opened the door and stepped in that she realized that this wasn’t her room– it was Alain’s.

    She froze up, eyes widening as she took in the dim room, the queen size bed she had woken up in two days ago right in front of her. Mairin’s heart started hammering, stumbling back a step as she noticed Alain curled up fast asleep on one side of the bed. He had fallen asleep without getting under the covers, simply spread out across the blanket. There was another shape on the other side of the bed, a small red form curled up, a flickering flame at the end of its tail.

    The Charmeleon opened his eyes as he heard Mairin take in a sharp startled breath, and the unfamiliar lizard raised his head, smacking his lips. The fire type let out a toothy yawn, stretching as he was pulled from his sleep, silver eyes flickering across the room.

    The Charmeleon then glanced at Mairin, stiffening up as they made eye contact. The lizard stared at her for a few moments, eyes wide in surprise. Mairin stared right back, heart thumping as the Charmeleon narrowed his eyes, claws curling into the blanket. Alain let out a soft snore, and the lizard briefly glanced back at him.

    Then all the muscles in the Pokemon tensed, the flames on his tail flaring up. A sputtering snarl escaped the Charmeleon’s throat, and then with pure rage in his eyes he sprang right at Mairin.


	7. Chapter 7

    Every muscle in her body froze as the Charmeleon leapt off of the bed, claws aimed right towards her. Mairin’s mind screamed at her to run, but her body refused to move an inch. It took for the dark energy of a Shadow Claw to surround the Charmeleon’s talons to snap her out of the paralyzing fear, and she scrambled back as the fire type bore down on her.

    Claws sank into the carpet of the doorway, right where she had been moments before. She staggered out into the hallway, bumping against the wall as the Charmeleon whipped his angry silver-eyed gaze at her. He was a frightening creature, with harsh red scales and a pale under belly. Several spikes jutted out of his back, and he bared his fangs at her. She briefly noticed a black strip of leather around his neck, a blue orb on the end.

    Her gaze was swiftly pulled to his face, however. Flames danced to life across his teeth as he formed a Fire Fang, lowering himself to the ground as he prepared to spring at her again again, pure outrage in his gaze.

    _“Char!”_  The lizard snarled.

    Mairin’s body was weak, both with exhaustion and from the lack of food. She couldn’t bring herself to run, staggering to the side as the Charmeleon scrambled after her. He sprung once more, and Mairin silently thanked Zygarde that the fire type had just woken up. His movements were much slower than she was sure he could manage if fully awake.

    He pressed off of the wall as she stumbled back, landing in the middle of the hallway without crashing, despite his missed pounce. He snapped his jaws in frustration, smoke curling up as the Fire Fang was smothered out. His tail lashed, eyes almost glowing as he glared at her. She stumbled backwards down the hallway, starting to shake.

    “I’m s-sorry I woke you up,” Mairin whispered, not sure why else this Pokemon would be so upset. His eyes narrowed, a growl escaping his throat, claws curling. His scales stiffened, and his feet spread apart as he lowered himself into a charging position, front claws digging into the floor.

    Mairin’s world became the Charmeleon, unaware of her surroundings as he bared his fangs. Her fear was strong– but the familiarity of what she was seeing was even stronger. Her mind was screaming danger– screaming to run– but she couldn’t move. A gurgling snarl poured from the Charmeleon as he charged forward, head lowered as he rushed right at her.

    He was a red blur, reaching her in moments. A half gasp escaped her, but he leapt up and rammed his thick head right into her chest. She let out a grunt of pain as she was knocked to the ground, the Charmeleon landing right on top of her. Her chest ached from where he had slammed into her, and she let out a whimper as he slammed his claws down onto her arms, pinning her to the ground.

    The only light came from the firelight on his tail, which lit him as an eerie silhouette. He snarled, eyes gleaming triumphantly. Spit dripped from his mouth, and Mairin weakly struggled under the Charmeleon. He bared his fangs, and she watched as embers sprang to life in his mouth. His jaws unhinged, the Fire Fang flaring up as he prepared to strike.

    “Alex! Return!” A voice snarled, pure anger echoing in the voice just as the bright light of a return beam filled the hall. The red beam of a Pokeball engulfed the Charmeleon, sucking him inside the sphere before he could lash out at Mairin. The pressure on her vanished as the Pokemon was forced back into the Pokeball.

    Mairin was left lying alone on the floor of the hallway, heart thumping with fear between the remaining silence.

    The hallway became dark without the firelight, but she still could make out a figure standing at the other end of the hallway. He was breathing heavily, his shadowy shape tensed with anger. He glared down at the Pokeball in hand, a slight tremble in his figure. Mairin just stared, her eyes slowly trying to adjust to the sudden darkness. He walked towards her, and it didn’t take Mairin long to recognize the towering form of Alain.

    “Mairin,” His tone was urgent. “Are you hurt? Alex didn’t land an attack on you– did he?”

    “I- I d-don’t know,” Mairin whispered, voice higher than normal. “He was s-so fast–”

    Alain was at her side in moments, and a yelp escaped her as a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders and slipped under her knees. Alain scooped her up, cradling her close to his chest. She was still too frightened from the attack to move, and the next she she knew Alain was carrying her down the hallway. She whimpered as he walked into his room, setting her gently on the bed.

    He turned away from her, flipping the light on as she curled up with fear. She squeezed her eyes shut at the sudden brightness, listening to the footsteps as Alain approached the bed. The mattress shifted as he sat, and a hand took her wrists.

    Alain let out a sigh of relief. “Thank Xerneas, oh thank Xerneas...”

    Mairin’s eyes opened to Alain’s blue eyes scanning her form. There seemed to be no injuries on her from the Charmeleon’s attack– though her wrists hurt slightly from his claws, and her chest was aching from him headbutting her.

    “I am so sorry, Mairin!” Alain cried, his face twisted with distress. “I thought it’d be fine if I let him out tonight and–!” Alain closed his eyes. “How could I have been so stupid... why did I do that... Alex didn’t hit you anywhere, did he?!”

    Mairin let out a small whimper, and Alain suddenly let go of her. She pressed her hands to her chest, right where she was sure to be bruised, but Alain seemed to take her actions as one of discomfort. He bit his lip, but slid off of the bed. Silence filled the room, and Mairin slowly willed herself to look at him.  He looked just like he did when she had first woken up with her amnesia– shirtless with basketball shorts– and she looked away.

    “Wait– what are you doing up at this time?” Alain asked.

    Mairin still couldn’t look at him, and she shifted her gaze down to her feet. “I was h-hungry... I was just grabbing food and... and...” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I woke you up! I didn’t mean to!”

    Alain’s gaze shifted to the side for the moment. He opened his mouth to reply, but closed it after a moment of thought. He hesitated, before looking at her once more, and she dared to meet his eyes.

    “Please don’t apologize, you didn’t do anything,” His fists curled. “I was the one that let Alex out unsupervised... B-but eating– that’s good, that means you’re getting your appetite back,” Alain said slowly, he seemed desperate for the topic change. “What did you eat?”

    “...Milk and Tamato berries...” Mairin whispered. Her heart was still thumping from the attack, but her panic was starting to die down with the threat now gone. She was fine... she was fine...

    Alain let out a surprised snort. “Tamato berries? You hate spicy food!”

    Mairin flushed. “It was the only thing that sounded good!”

    Alain smiled slightly, leaning up against the wall, before a frown crossed his face. “...Was there something you needed?”

    “Huh?”

    “You opened the door, right...? Was there something you needed from here?” Alain asked, jerking his head around the room. “I do have several of your things in here still.”

    Mairin went redder, hands digging into the bed. “I... I didn’t mean to go into your room...” She whispered. “It... it was an accident...”

    “An accident?” Alain repeated.

    She wrapped her arms around herself. “I wasn’t thinking... I just open the door without paying attention to where I was,” She gritted her teeth. “Apparently I can’t even remember how to walk down the hallway now.”

    Alain’s lips twisted. “Don’t blame yourself Mairin, please...” He hesitated. “Um... blame the milk.”

    A half laugh escaped her throat. “The milk?”

    Alain cracked a grin. “Yep. If you hadn’t gone down for a midnight snack this wouldn’t have happened– it’s the milk’s fault.”

    Mairin couldn’t hold back a laugh, and Alain’s smile widened as her laugh echoed through the room. She wiped away a few tears that she hadn’t even noticed had formed when the Charmeleon had leapt at her. She was shivering on the bed, but she flashed a small smile at Alain again.

    However her smile faded as she noticed something hanging around Alain’s neck.

    It was a black strip of leather, just like what had been around the Charmeleon’s neck. Instead of a blue orb at the end though, there was a rainbow one– a key stone. However that wasn’t what made Mairin pause, but rather the two silvery objects that had been stringed onto the leather. She stared at the two wedding rings, one of them being the one she had left on the dining room table two days before. She bit her lip, eyes flickering down to Alain’s hand as she realized that he was no longer wearing his ring either– instead he had placed them on his leather necklace.

    And it fell so the rings were resting right over his heart.

    “...Mairin? Are you alright?” Alain asked.

    She realized more tears had entered her eyes. “I should be getting back to bed,” Mairin whispered, swiftly inching to the edge of the bed. “G-goodnight.”

    “Wait!” Alain cried, taking a step towards her, and she froze up. “D-don’t leave–”

    Mairin tensed– she didn’t want this! She didn’t want the Alain that was looking for his wife! She wanted her friend, the boy that had just made her laugh. She knew that in his mind that they shouldn’t be apart right now, and she hated that fact.

    “I’m tired Alain,” She whispered, desperate to get away.

    “I... I promised I’d explain what happened that night,” Alain said, and she paused. “The night of the fight... the last thing you remember. I need to explain to you why, you deserve to know why I treated you that way...”

    Mairin bit her lip– of course he’d offer her the information she wanted to know so desperately at the moment she wanted to get away. She didn’t want to stay, she didn’t want to see the rings or to have Alain look at her sadly. She didn’t want to see the pain she caused him by not remembering, and she didn’t want to see someone looking at her as if they were more.

    But she wanted know what happened, she wanted to understand what had made the Alain of her memories grow cold, what had pushed him to that point.

    “I’ll listen...” Mairin said. “...But only if you put on a shirt.”

    He gave a small laugh. “That I can manage.”

    Alain made his way across the room, and Mairin started tracing the twisting white marks on her arms without much thought, not sure of what to do. Alain had opened the closet, combing the shelfs for a t-shirt. Mairin’s half the of the closet was mostly empty, her clothes having been moved to her current room.

    A moment later Alain was slipping on a t-shirt over his bare chest, and to Mairin’s relief the leather necklace– and the rings– were tucked under the shirt. Alain made his way over to the desk, pulling out the chair and sat down. Alain laced his fingers together, staring down at the floor.

    “Um... that Charmeleon,” Mairin said quietly, shivering as she remembered his rage-filled eyes. “Is he Charizard’s kid? I remember that Charizard was expecting an egg before my memories, er... left.”

    Alain stiffened. “...Yes. Alex is that same egg,” Alain said hollowly. “...I’m sorry he tried to attack you.”

    “Wh-why did he do that?” Mairin asked in a whisper.

    Alain gritted his teeth. “Alex... he’s distrustful. There’s only a handful of people he remotely likes. That’s all– it was nothing personal.”

    His last words were too rushed– and he refused to look at her as he spoke them. It was just like at the doctor’s office, Mairin knew that Alain wasn’t telling her everything, and she gritted her teeth.

    She thought on the Charmeleon though, he had seemed so angry for no reason... perhaps he was just wasn’t one for interaction? He had full on attacked her for merely walking into the same room as him...

    Mairin suddenly recoiled, as if in pain. Her hands went to the side, clutching her right side. It wasn’t hurting... but yet her mind was telling her that it hurt. Alain tensed, looking as if he wanted to rush to her side, and Mairin gritted her teeth as she forced herself to pull her hands away.

    She hesitated, glancing towards Alain for a moment, but she looked down at her side even though she knew it was fine. She hesitated again, but pulled her shirt up part way to look at her side. She peered down, tensing as she discovered more unfamiliar marks on her. But unlike the strange white ones on her arms, Mairin knew what these scars were of– fang marks.

    She quickly covered up the scars, heart thumping. Her stomach twisted slightly, and she didn’t even want to know how bad the injuries had been if they had left a scar. She didn’t have to question that the bite marks had been from the Charmeleon though– they tingled every time she thought of the Charmeleon. She shivered slightly, realizing that even though she had no memory of the event her body clearly remembered.

    “...H-he’s attacked me before.”

    Alain closed his eyes. “Yes...”

    “Why?” Mairin asked– she knew there was more. Just like at the doctor’s office, there was more going on, and yet Alain wasn’t telling her.

    He hesitated, eyes darting around the room. Alain gulped slightly, before holding out his arms. Mairin leaned forward, and could make out several slashes– all in sets of three. They curled around his arms in a haphazard manner, as if the slashes had been out of desperation.

    “...He’s attacked me too,” Alain said. “Alex has been through a lot. It’s nothing personal.”

    The fact that he said the phrase again was all Mairin needed to know that it was personal. ‘Alex’ had been upset the moment he had seen her, and had attacked without even second thought. Mairin turned away, hating how she had so many questions and no answers. She hated all the scars she was seeing– on her and on those she cared about– and she didn’t know how they came to be.

    “I don’t like it when you lie to me, Alain,” Mairin whispered– she didn’t ask for the truth though, because she had a feeling that she wasn’t going to get any answers. “I hope you don’t plan on doing that when you explain what happened a few nights– um– I mean the fight,” She looked him the eye. “I want the truth Alain– you have no idea how much you hurt me that night,” She took in a struggling breath. “It may have just been w-words, but they  _hurt.”_

    He closed his eyes as he gathered his thoughts, and Mairin shivered. She was finally going to get answers to one of her many questions.

    “...We didn’t talk for a week after that fight.”

    “A whole w-week?” Mairin asked, startled at this news– she clearly remembered that she had planned on talking to Alain the next day.

    A pair of blue eyes looked up at her– he wasn’t lying. A week... that fight had resulted in a week of them not speaking... they hadn’t done something like that in years.

    “I told you that I wanted to be alone then– and that’s what I truly wanted. I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth, but I still took advantage of the loneliness I had craved,” Alain’s eyes narrowed. “I  _wanted_  to hurt you, Mairin– those words were meant to sting– but none of them were true.”

    “Then why, Alain?”

    “...I just didn’t want to be the only one hurting...” Alain whispered, and he closed his eyes. “The letter... that letter, Mairin, was sent to inform me that my father had passed away.”

    Her eyes widened slightly– this was the first time Alain had ever spoken of his father, at least in her current memory. He rarely spoke of his childhood, and when he did it was always of his mother. She had always assumed that his father was long out of the picture...

    “I’m s-sorry,” Mairin whispered, that was too young to lose a parent. Even now would be too young–

   _“Don’t,”_  Alain’s voice was a low growl. “...Please, just don't. He was dead to me long before I got that letter– he deserved nothing less,” Alain’s hands curled into fists. “He died of liver failure, so his last few weeks weren’t even in prison where he belonged.”

    “P-prison...?”

    Alain’s eyes met hers, his blue eyes colder than she had ever seen. “...My father was imprisoned when I was eight– for child abuse and neglect.”

    A wave of cold washed over Mairin– and her eyes widened in horror. Alain’s expression was all of confirmation she needed, and her hand went up to cover her mouth. Her stomach tightened, and Alain swiftly looked away– silently begging her not to ask the questions forming in her mind. Tears lined her eyes, her vision blurring as she sat there, and Alain didn’t say another word. His hands dug into arms, eyes pressed shut.

    “Alain...” She said softly, voice on the verge of breaking.

    She closed her eyes, and it felt like a heavy weight had been placed on her shoulders. Hot tears tried to spill over, and a sickening feeling washed over. Not the same feeling that her sick body had been throwing at her the last two days, but a horrible realization as she took in what Alain had just told her.

    “...I had n-no right to say those things to you that night,” Alain spoke in a raspy tone. “But that day I was reminded times I’d rather f-forget... and you approached me at a moment where I would have turned on anyone,” He took in a deep breath. “This does not excuse my words to you then, but Mairin, I was hurting so much that day...” His voice cracked slightly. “I’ve asked you this before, but Mairin, please forgive me for what I said to you then... please...”

    What had he got through? How bad had it been?

    Mairin was silently crying, tears running down her face. “N-no...” She whispered. “I sh-should be apologizing,” The tears came harder. “You were going though s-so much I can couldn’t even g-give you a moment alone...” Before Mairin knew what was happening she was sobbing. “I apologized to you before, r-right? Please tell me that I did, please tell me that I apologized for doing that to you, p-please!”

    The next thing she knew a pair of warm arms were around her. “You did...” Alain whispered. “You did, Mairin... you didn’t need to, but you did...”

    His voice was a whisper in her ear, his arms a safe embrace. For once Mairin didn’t pull away at his touch, letting Alain hold her. She wasn’t sure if it was so she could have comfort or if the action was comforting him, but she sat there in silence as he rocked her.

    She didn’t know how long they sat there, but eventually Alain pulled his arms away, turning away from her.

    “You should get to bed,” Alain said, tone empty.

    Mairin watched him, and slowly pushed herself to her feet. “O-okay...”

    “Goodnight, Mairin,” Alain said simply.

    She carefully made her way towards the door. “Goodnight Alain...”

    He didn’t say another word, and she slowly made her way back to her room, thoughts and emotions churning– but for once her stomach was still.

* * *

****  
** ** Mairin was sick the next morning, and the day after that.

    And then day after that.

    “I can’t do this...” Mairin groaned, clutching her stomach as she leaned up against the wall of the bathroom. She had been in here since breakfast, and it seemed her stomach finally had nothing left to heave up. Her mouth was lined with a foul taste, but she didn’t want to move, even though the sink was just a few feet away.

    It had now been five days since she had woken up without her memories– and nothing had changed. She woke up every morning feeling horrid, and her nausea would then come and go throughout the day.

    Alain hadn’t spoken to her about their midnight conversation a few nights before– and she had no idea how to bring it up, or if she even should. All she knew was that she felt horrible for how she had treated him the night of the fight, the mere thought of what he could have gone through made her feel even sicker. It now took her ages to fall asleep, no matter how tired she was, and once she did she was always plagued nightmares.

    Her dreams had been the same for the last few nights now– flying through the night sky without a care, only to then be attacked by the green creature, and awoken moment before the Hyper Beam hit her.

    And occasionally a certain Charmeleon would greet her in her nightmares– a Fire Fang clamping down on her side.

    “Oh no...” Mairin mouthed as her stomach twisted, and she forced herself to her feet as the horrid feeling washed over her. She leaned over the toilet, throwing up for what felt like the hundredth time.

    She stumbled towards the sick, desperate to wash away the taste.

_Knock knock._

    “H-huh?” Mairin croaked, looking towards the door.

    “It’s Sophie,” A concerned voice called, slightly muffled by the door. “Can I come in?”

    Mairin made a grunting noise, stumbling towards the door and unlocking it. The bathroom door swung open, and there was Sophie, a wicker basket in hand. She had a soft smile on her face, and she sat the basket onto the counter. She stepped into the bathroom, and Mairin turned away, embarrassed.

    “I’m sorry...” Mairin whispered.

    “For what?” Sophie asked, running a soothing hand down her back. “You’ve done nothing wrong, dear.”

    “Because of me everyone’s life is getting disrupted...” Mairin muttered miserably, slowly relaxing as Sophie continued rubbing her back. Her stomach was still churning, but it was calmer than before.

    “This isn’t your fault,” Sophie said gently. “If we were sick you’d do the same for us,” Her green eyes sparkled with concern. “Now, I brought up your things from your room,” She nodded towards the basket. “In case there was something you needed. You take your time in here, and I’ll have Augustine get some more broth ready, to see if you can eat that.”

    Mairin made a retching sound as food was mentioned, and she silently cursed at herself.

    Sophie sighed.

    “Actually, we’ll worry about that later,” Sophie said, her hands moving to Mairin’s shoulders. “Perhaps you should lay down, and drink a lot of water...” She shook her head. “This doesn’t seem to be a common bug, perhaps we should call a doctor...”

    “I have an appointment tomorrow...” Mairin whispered, voice slightly slurred. It would be their third trip to see doctor Tambert, however their last one had basically only been to set up an appointment for a brain scan.

    “That’s for your amnesia,” Sophie said. “But I don’t know if you should be going in for a scan when you’re like this...”

    Mairin closed her eyes– this nausea kept coming and going throughout the day. At times she felt just fine, but then minutes later she’d be barely able to stand.

    “I...” Mairin began, but she didn’t know what to say.

    Sophie patted her shoulder. “I’ll go talk to Alain about this, I think we should get you into a regular doctor to see if there’s something we can do. This isn’t healthy for you,” She stood up, heading to the door. “As soon as you feel like you can make it down the hallway go to your room, alright? Just get some rest.”

    Mairin nodded weakly, and Sophie shut the door behind her.

    The red head let out a small moan, weakly turning her head towards the toiletry basket Sophie had brought. Even after several days she still wasn’t quite use to the fact that it was hers, everything in it just felt unfamiliar– and she couldn’t even bring herself to look at everything in it. Anytime she needed something she’d just briefly search for it and grab it.

    Mairin sat down on the counter, head starting to feel a bit more clear as she pulled the basket towards her. She pulled off the lid, peering in as she searched for her toothbrush, wanting to get this sick taste out of her mouth. She frowned as she didn’t see it right on top, where it should have been, and she wondered if things had gotten shuffled when Sophie had brought the basket to her. She sighed, but began to dig through the less than organized basket.

    Perhaps that was one sign that this was truly hers, everything was just thrown in here.

    Mairin set things on the counter, sighing again as she tried to find the green toothbrush. This was more effort than the energy she had... perhaps she should just get a drink of water and go lay down... but then she’d have to walk all the way to her room...

    Her stomach churned weakly, but at last Mairin found her toothbrush and toothpaste. She let out a small sigh, setting them down, then started to throw everything else back into the basket. Perhaps she should go through this and sort it out, that’d give her something to do...

    She looked down at a package of nail polish remover, unopened, of course– she never wore nail polish. Why had she bought it? Perhaps she hadn’t, but it had been a gift or something? Just another tiny detail of her life she didn’t know. She tossed it into the basket with a sigh, and picked up a small box on the counter, glancing at it.

    She froze up as she saw what it was.

    Pregnancy tests.

    Mairin paled as she stared down at the box, stiffening up as she gazed at something she never thought that she would never have. She held it in her hands for a moment, feeling as if she might throw up again. She didn’t know what to do, or how to even react, so she just stared down at it in pure shock.

    She was married, this wasn’t something too far fetched for her to have...

    She pushed away the forming thoughts in her mind, forcefully shoving the one thing she had been refusing to acknowledge to the very depths of her mind. Yes she knew that they were married, but... but...

    She wasn’t even ready to even think about that.

    She shoved the pregnancy tests into the basket, ready to move on from the topic in her mind. This wasn’t something she needed to linger on, she was struggling enough being around Alain, she didn’t need to be lingering on this. She was fine, just shove it into the basket and pretend that it wasn’t hers, she was fine...

    However Mairin paused, a thought crossing her mind. What if... what if she was...

    “No!” Mairin cried aloud– there was no way she was! She wasn’t ready for such things, there was no way that...

    But she had been so sick lately... throwing up, but no fever or cough to suggest that she was ill. Mairin gulped, reaching back into the basket, pulling out the pregnancy tests once more. Her hands were shaking as she looked down at it. She was married... no matter what she remembered, this wasn’t out of the question...

    She couldn’t linger in sheer denial when this was a possibility.

    Hot tears poured down her face as she found herself opening the package, disbelieving to what she was doing.

* * *

    Mairin didn’t need to wait long for her answer.

    She had looked over it once, twice– three times. Just to make sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. Just to make sure that what she was seeing was real. But it was real, the results of the test plain for all to see:

    Positive.


	8. Chapter 8

    Positive.

    Pregnant. She was  _pregnant._

    She was pregnant.

    Mairin didn’t make a noise as she set the test down onto the counter, bracing herself against the sink as a wave of nausea came over her. She didn’t throw up again, there was nothing left in her stomach to do so, but that didn’t mean that she didn’t feel like she wanted to. Her throat burned, head spinning.

    Pregnant.

    A hand went to her stomach, pressing against it. A baby... there was a baby growing in side of her. She didn’t feel anything, not even a small bump, but somehow she seemed to know that something was there. Perhaps it was just the knowledge of the positive test... but still, not even her fear could place her in denial.

    She was pregnant.

    That meant... that meant that she and Alain had...

    A dizzy spell washed over her, and her reflection in the mirror began to look much paler. She stared at herself for a moment, stunned at what she was seeing. Perhaps it was because she had been avoiding her reflection the last few days, or maybe because of the news she had just received... but she looked old. Not gray and wrinkly, but her eyes had a heavy look to them, skin sweaty and pale. Her amber eyes were dim, as if they had seen more than they wanted.

    Or as if she had learned something she wasn’t ready for.

_Pregnant._

    Even with her vision blurring Mairin couldn’t spend another moment in the bathroom, and she jerked the door open, staggering out into the hallway. Her panic started to build with each step she took, the realization of what was happening becoming stronger. A baby... she was going to be a mom– she had a child in her right this moment... She... she...

    She wasn’t ready for this.

    Tears entered her eyes, fear filling her– she couldn’t be pregnant! She wasn't ready for such a thing! She couldn’t have a baby– she just couldn’t!

    A sob escaped her throat, and she rushed down the stairs.

    “I didn’t tell her more than what was necessary,” Alain’s deep growl came from the front of the lab. “And you will not approach her on the topic– she has enough on her plate as it is.”

    “I understand that,” Max said, sounding frustrated. “I am just saying this is probably the one time we could approach her on the topic without her emotionally hurting! I wouldn’t do this otherwise, but this could be our one chance–”

    “I don’t care about your stupid research!” Alain snapped. “It’s gone now– and you won’t bring it up again! You just keep that stupid Gardevoir away from Mairin, and make sure nothing gets–”

    “I’ve encountered  _four_  in my life, Alain!” Max’s voice cut him off, though Mairin barely took in the words as she stumbled through the lab, merely flinching as the voices became louder. “And three of them had some sort of connection with a human, if we could just figure why this one acted in the way it did then we can help–”

 _“I said **no**_ _!”_  Alain roared as Mairin approached the door that lead to the front room of the lab. “Bring it up again and I will  _personally_  make sure you regret it, Max!”

    Mairin just seemed to realized who was speaking, and she came to a sudden halt, eyes wide. Her arms wrapped around her middle, sweat forming along her skin. Alain... he had, they had... he was... Her eyes clamped shut, and suddenly she broke down sobbing– her mind simply too overwhelmed to know what to do with the knowledge that had been presented. The idea of a child was simply something she hadn't considered until now...

    The shouting fell silent as they heard her sobs, and Mairin’s heart started pounding as she heard footsteps. The door was thrown open, and Alain stepped out into the hallway, looking down at her. Mairin didn’t even know when she had sunk to the ground, but she was curled up against the wall crying.

    “Mairin?” Alain asked, worry in his voice. “What are you doing? Are you okay?” In a moment he was at her side, hands on her shoulder, pulling her away from the wall. He was on his knees, blue eyes flickering across her. “Mairin? Were you listening? What–?”

    “Don’t touch me!” Mairin screamed, the words escaping her throat without even a thought to what she was saying.

    Alain didn’t let go of her, and she started thrashing in his grasp, sobs still coming from her. “Mairin, hold still– Mairin just hold still! You’re hysterical, what’s going on–?”

    “Let go of me!” Mairin screamed. “Let go of me–  _let go of me!”_

    “Mairin,” Max’s voice barely reached her above her thrashing. “Calm down, and tell us what’s wrong, deep breaths...”

     _“Let go of me!”_  Mairin cried again, and at last Alain’s hands pulled away from her. Mairin scurried back against the wall, breathing heavily. She looked up at the two males, tears in her eyes. They were watching her, pure concern on their faces. Alain’s hands lingered near her, and she shivered.

    “Mairin,” Alain asked. “Are you okay?”

    This only brought more tears to Mairin’s eyes, she was far from okay... she was scared– terrified. She felt as if someone had just strapped a boulder to her back, the horrible weight dragging her down. It was dragging her down, and she had no idea of how to get it away off from her... it was slowly crushing her, but she had no way to break free.

    “J-just leave me alone!” Mairin sobbed, pushing herself to her feet and shoving past Alain. She scurried into the front room, not even sure of what she was trying to accomplish. She just needed to get away from here... she couldn’t spend one more moment here...

    Her limbs were shaking, and she wasn’t sure if it was from fear or weakness. The boys drifted into the room after her, clearly not sure of what to do, but not about to leave her alone. Alain’s presence sent chills racing down her back and arms, just a mere reminder of what she had learned...

    “What’s going on?” Professor Sycamore’s voice filled the silence that had been left after her tears, and the professor entered the room, eyes sharp. He looked around, eyes darting from Mairin’s trembling form to the Max’s uncertain look, to Alain’s worried-filled face. “What happened?”

    “I think she was having a breakdown or something, sir...” Max said in a soft voice.

    “Mairin, what’s wrong?” Alain asked, his voice gentle, and he took a step towards her.

     _“No!”_  Mairin screamed. “J-just stay back!”

    Some part of her mind hummed, quietly telling her that this wasn’t necessary, that he hadn’t done anything– but the rest of her mind screamed to get as far away from him as possible. She tore her eyes away from Alain, and found Professor Sycamore watching her. Ruby had come into the room after him, the Absol’s fur tensed in alarm. Her scarlet eyes locked on Mairin’s, as if they could explain the pure emotion she was feeling.

    “Mairin...” Professor Sycamore said calmly. “You know who we are, right...?”

    Mairin’s breathing was heavy, and she tried to make sense of what they were saying– though her panic was much stronger. It clung to every part of her, giving her a strange alertness about herself, drilling a fear through her.

    Did they think she had forgotten again? Oh, how she wished that were so– forget the news that had brought such a terror over her. Her eyes pressed shut– she needed to get out of here. She needed somewhere to think.

    “D-don’t follow me...” Mairin whispered, inching to the door of the lab. “Leave me alone, leave me alone...” She swallowed hard, beginning to feel dizzy again. “I j-just want to be alone...”

    Her hand grabbed the door knob, twisting it open, and Alain stepped forward. “Mairin, no– you– you shouldn’t go alone in your condition!”

    But Mairin tugged the door open, darting out into the Lumiose City. Her heart thumped, she could hear Alain’s footsteps coming after her–

    “No,” Professor Sycamore said, Mairin barely catching his voice as she ran down the front steps. “Let her go.”

    Mairin didn’t slow, heading towards the front gates. She glanced over her shoulder once– but saw no sign of anyone coming after her. Still, she increased her pace as she rushed out onto the sidewalks, eyes glued to the ground. Her footsteps were swift, darting around anyone that she approached. She stumbled several times, but didn’t fall as she got as far from the lab as she could. She needed to get out of here, she needed to get away from the lab... too many people, too many questions...

    Her hands wrapped around her waist– a baby.

    A sob attempted to escape her, and she made a choking sound instead. She wasn’t ready for this, why couldn’t anyone see that?! Why was this happening to her, of all the times this could happen...

    She... she didn’t dislike the idea of children... but she just wasn’t ready!

    Not for the child, nor for the accepting what that fact meant.

    Mairin glanced up, not quite sure where she was in Lumiose. The city moved around her at an indescribable pace– everything moving on when she was slowly sinking. No one glanced at her, people just passing her as they made their way through the busy city. The sky was overcast and gray, yet the warmth of the summer still pierced the clouds. Not even that was a comfort though, and Mairin lowered her head.

    She pressed forward, letting the crowd sweep her away with them, still not even sure to where she was going. She just kept walking, forcing her mind to be numb as she continued on. She didn’t focus on anything, didn’t think of the pressing matters at hand, she just kept walking...

    Until she felt a headache forming at the base of her skull.

    She slowly came to a stop, outside of a small boutique, blinking as her mind tried to recall just what it meant. The headache slowly started to grow, engulfing her head with that horrible pounding, and she closed her eyes in pain. She stumbled back, leaning up against a streetlamp for support. Alain had said she got these around psychic types... someone must have one out in the city, that made sense... it’d pass, it’d pass, she was fine...

    Except for she wasn’t fine– the headache was growing much quicker than it in the doctor’s office. She let out a pained gasp, grabbing her head with one hand. Darkness danced across her vision, her legs starting to shake. Mairin’s eyes widened, but that didn’t stop her sight from vanishing completely, and the sounds of the busy city dying around her.

    Silence.

    There was silence around her, and a strange hum. She could hear the wind, feel the sand against her feet... something was approaching. She turned– yet she didn’t move a muscle– and she saw something flash red above her. A shadow fell across her, and then she felt a presence behind her, but before she could even turn again she felt something sleek against her.

    A pressure formed along her arms, the coldness sharp as the strange shapes wrapped around her. She couldn’t move, and something was being pressed against her back. Her breath got caught in her throat, lungs forgetting how to breathe. The cold, thin appendages around her arms were getting warmer, the green and red shapes wrapping tighter around her. The... the  _thing_ pressed against her back was getting warmer as well– but quicker. Within moments it was burning, searing!

    A scream of pain escaped Mairin– and suddenly she was thrown back to the present.

    She was down on her knees, arms wrapped around her head, her whole head engulfed in a blistering headache. The white marks on her arms were tingling, and it felt like the center of her back was still burning. She heard a pain cry in the air, and it took her a moment to realize that she was the one screaming. Her eyes snapped open, the cries still pouring from her mouth as her vision returned.

    People were stopping, staring at her. Others swiftly moved on, careful not to look at her.

    “Mairin?” A concerned voice asked, somehow reaching her through her screams. “Mairin! Oh Arceus– Delphox, return!”

    A burst of red light, and the searing pain in her head died down somewhat. Mairin choked on another scream, the sound struggling to escape her. She heard footsteps, and someone was at her side, grabbing her shoulders. Mairin whimpered as she was forced to her feet, her headache still dimly throbbing. The next thing she knew she was being pulled into a hug by the unknown figure, their embrace gentle.

    Slowly those that had stopped began to move on, a few throwing uncertain glances back at Mairin.

    The person hugging her pulled back, their hands on her shoulders. The woman was taller than her, but her touch was soft. A towering Pangoro stood behind her, arms crossed as he watched his trainer and Mairin. She took in a struggling breath, studying the person in front of her. The woman had pale skin and beautiful honey blonde hair, which was tied up in a loose bun. The woman was wearing reflective sunglasses, which made it impossible to see her eyes, and a sun hat covered her head.

    It took Mairin a moment, but she soon recognized the person in front of her.

    “Serena?” Mairin whispered.

    Serena flinched slightly. “Not now, you know I don’t like that,” She said in a hushed voice, and she placed an arm around Mairin. “Oh, what are you doing alone...? Come on...”

    Mairin blinked, but Serena began to lead her down the street. The Pangoro followed behind them as if he were a bodyguard, growling at anyone whose gaze lingered on them for too long. Mairin wasn’t sure of what to do, and simply allowed Serena to lead her through the streets. So much was happening, and a familiar face that wasn’t a familiar face from the last few days was more than welcoming.

    The next thing Mairin knew was that Serena was guiding her into what was clearly a high end restaurant.

    “You’re going to need a reservation,” The maitre d’ said as they walked in, scanning Mairin and Serena with narrowed eyes. She took in Mairin’s outfit and tear streaked face with a crinkled nose.

    Serena gave the woman a sweet smile, but there was a toxic tone in her voice as she spoke. The woman’s eyes widened as Serena slid her ID onto the counter. “I do have reservations– they’re under Yvonne.”

    The maitre d’ blinked a few times, looking slightly embarrassed. Her eyes flickered towards Serena’s Pangoro, and then to Serena again, her voice now having a slight stutter. “O-of course, let me get you to your s-seats ma’am–”

    Serena smiled at Mairin as they were lead through the fancy restaurant– and Mairin felt very out of place in her everyday clothes– which were wrinkled and covered with sweat. The smell of food wafted past Mairin’s nose, and her stomach shifted. Yet her stomach gave no sign of heaving, which was good.

    They were seated in a private area of the restaurant, two waiters pulling out the chairs for them. She didn’t know what else to do but sit, and Serena smiled across from her as they did so. Pangoro leaned up against the wall, shifting a framed painting, but no waiter seemed brave enough to point this out. They only glanced at the Pokemon, before turning to hand them menus.

    “S-serena,” Mairin stuttered out, not only was Mairin sure she couldn't eat anything, but these prices were most certainly something she couldn't afford.

    “My treat,” Serena said with a smile, though it turned into a frown. “The least I could do for Delphox triggering one of your trances...” She glanced away. “It sounded like a bad one– b-but I won’t press it!”

    Mairin just blinked.

    “May we start you off with a drink today, m’ladies?” One of the waiters asked, and Mairin just stared.

    Perhaps she was still too overwhelmed to appreciate this place.

    Trances...? Delphoxes were psychic types, but Alain had just said she got headaches... and the Espurr at Dr. Lambert’s had given her nothing more than a headache. But yet Serena acted like this was something that clearly happened at least constantly. She had full on blacked out... and what she had saw, was that a dream or what...? Why hadn’t Alain mentioned that?

    She flinched at the mention of Alain, hands going to her stomach.

    Serena glanced over the menu without much interest, and pointed to a drink seemingly at random. Mairin didn’t recognize the name, it sounded alcoholic, and the waiter then glanced at her.

    She blinked slowly, wondering if she could even stomach anything. “Um... do you have milk?”

    Milk was one of the few things that had sounded the good the last few days, and one of the few things she had even wanted. Serena smiled at the question, taking off her hat and sunglasses, setting them on the table. The waiter hesitated, glancing at Mairin as if thinking this were a joke.

    “...That I can manage, ma’am,” He said weakly. He bowed to them, before gracefully walking away.

    Serena gave Mairin yet another smile as they were left alone. “I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, so I hope this isn’t too sudden to bring you here,” She scanned Mairin’s pale form, but yet didn’t seemed surprised by her shaky and frightened state. “Now, how have you been lately?”

    “Overwhelmed...” Mairin whispered. It was the only word to describe how she was feeling, yet it didn’t even begin to describe what she was going through.

    Serena nodded in understanding. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, you know I’d never force you to,” She hesitated. “Though Mairin, if it’s getting bad again perhaps you should go back to therapy.”

    “Th-therapy?” Mairin asked.

    “You said it helped,” Serena said, blue eyes lined with concerned. “There’s nothing wrong with going, Mairin. If it helped the first time then it could help again.”

    “...Why did I go to therapy?” Mairin asked, for a moment not even thinking how that question would sound to her. “When?”

    Serena stared at Mairin, looking very startled as she took in Mairin’s words. However before she could say a thing two waiters waltzed into their room, presenting them their drinks in an unnecessarily fancy way. Mairin stared at the glass of milk she had been given– which was in a wine glass. Serena pushed her drink, which was dark purple, to the side as the waiters left and leaned across the table.

    “Mairin... are you feeling alright?” Serena asked, voice sounding slightly shaken.

    “Oh!” Mairin said, pressing her hand to her forehead. Her throat was tightening up, and she didn’t even dare to attempt to take a drink. “I... I guess I should explain...” Tears stung her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m just a mess right now, so much has been going on...”

    Serena wrapped a hand around Mairin’s. “What’s happening?”

    Mairin wiped away a few tears that were running down her cheeks. “I... I’m kinda missing a few memories,” She whispered. “L-like five years of them...”

    “What?!” Serena cried.

    Mairin hiccuped. “A-about a week ago I woke up, and th-they were just gone. We have no idea what’s causing this, and I’m still trying to understand what’s happening...” Her stomach twisted, and suddenly the tears came running faster. “And I’m p-pregnant.”

    She had to choke the final word out.

    A mixture of emotions clouded over Serena’s face– worry, surprise, a hint of excitement– though concern quickly rose to the top. She took in a sharp breath, clearly trying to gather her thoughts, and Mairin looked down at her feet. Serena didn’t reply right off, and Mairin didn’t blame her– she had just dumped a lot of information on her.

    “Five years...” She said softly, and she looked up. “So you don’t remember any part of your relationship with Alain? ...Or anything else?”

    Mairin shook her head.

    Serena bit her lip. “A baby too... that’s wonderful news, but of all the times...” She uncertainly glanced at Mairin. “What... what are you going to do? I mean, are you going to keep it?”

    “Of course!” Mairin cried, hands wrapping around her middle. This was her baby–  _her baby._  But at the same time... a child. That wasn’t just something that could come into her life without change, this would be years of dedication... And what about Alain? Did he want a baby? How would they raise it...? Together? They were married, but still she didn’t recall a moment of that–

    “Mairin,” Serena said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “You’re thinking too hard.”

    “Am I?” Mairin asked, a slight bitter undertone in her voice. There were several tears in her eyes, but that was nothing new. “My upside-down life has just been flipped over once more– and it hasn’t even been a week,” She grabbed the wine glass of milk, taking a long drink as if this would make her mounting emotions leave. “I honestly have no idea of what to do, or even how to begin dealing with everything!”

    “That’s what I’m trying to say,” Serena said. “There’s nothing you can do at the moment that’ll change the situation you’re in– and you don’t have to reach a decision of any kind right now either,” Serena took in a deep breath. “Time is something you have right now, so what’s the point of worrying yourself sick when you should just try to rest?”

    Mairin hiccuped, and she felt her temporary surge of frustration drain away. She took in Serena’s words, the truth of them slowly sinking in. No, her situation wasn’t different than before, and the pressure was still just as strong– but she had time. She didn’t have to bear all at once.

    “Thank you for listening to me...” Mairin whispered. “I think that helped me a lot... I don’t know how I was going to tell everyone at the lab about the... baby,” She flinched. “I still don’t.”

    Serena sat up. “They don’t know you’re pregnant? Not even Alain?”

    Mairin bit her lip. “I literally found out today, not long before you found me...” She closed her eyes. “Oh Arceus, how am I going to tell them? I’ve been putting them through enough as it is!”

    “It’s Alain’s baby too, Mairin,” Serena said. “You can’t keep this from him.”

    “I know...” Mairin whispered.

    Serena offered her a small smile. “I’ll go with you to the lab after we eat, if you want.”

    Mairin shifted in her seat. “That’d be nice... thank you, Serena.”

    Serena at last picked up her drink, taking a long sip. “Of course, anything for a friend.”

    “Er...” Mairin glanced around the restraunt, feeling somewhat relax for the first time that day. “Um... how are you able to afford to go to a place like this?” A part of Mairin was curious, but deep down she simply wanted to put something else on her mind, something to pull her attention away from everything she had been struggling through this week. “I mean, this place is pretty nice...”

    That was an understatement– this place was clearly the top of the line.

    Serena blinked, then smiled. “I became the Kalos Queen a while back,” She scratched the back of her head Mareep-ishly. “And then I kinda played a role in a movie after that, and...” Serena looked down. “Now it sounds like I’m bragging.”

    Mairin sat up a bit. “What kind of movie?”

    She hesitated for a second, but after she saw the genuine gleam of interest in Mairin’s eyes Serena dove into the basics of the movie she been in– based on a Kantonian legend from medieval times, it was a romance about a knight of aura and a queen. Serena had played the role of ‘Queen Rin’, and seemed to have enjoyed her time filming.

    Serena did pause every now and then– both so the waiters could take their orders– and to glance at Mairin to as if trying to get her approval of continuing. Mairin made no effort to stop her, since the story behind the movie was actually very interesting, complete with a human having the powers of a Lucario. Serena went over every detail, from the costumes to the trip she and other cast members had taken to Kanto to visit the castle where the legend was said to take place.

    Serena’s talking was a blessing, even though the Kalos Queen seemed very hesitant on taking control of the conversation after learning everything Mairin had been going through. But being able to engage in just a normal chat with a friend was just what Mairin needed. It provided a familiarity that she had been missing for these last few days, and she simply found herself relaxing. Serena had comforted her and listened to her worries, but yet was willing to drop the topic after as well. At the lab her amnesia simply lingered in the air, never far from everyone’s thoughts and words, but here Serena was just treating as a friend.

    Serena seemed to understand the fact that even though Mairin was missing a few years of her life, that it didn’t mean that she had to be treated as if she had lost everything– and for that Mairin was grateful. She even managed to choke down half a bowl of a spicy soup as Serena talked (the name of the soup Mairin had no hope of pronouncing).

    As they left the restaurant Mairin’s hand brushed against her stomach. A strange warmth was in her heart, and now that she had managed to accept that she was pregnant the panic didn’t seem as strong. Yes, a fear of the unknown future was there– but yet a small excitement. She was carrying a child...

   _Her_  child.

    A small smile flickered over Mairin’s face.

* * *

    A wave of nausea rushed over Mairin as they found themselves outside the gates of the lab.

    “Mairin,” Serena said, reaching out to steady Mairin as she started rocking on her feet. Serena had once again hidden her face behind sunglasses and a hat as they had headed back outside. “Are you okay?”

    “Oh, what am I supposed to say to him?” Mairin muttered, her stomach twisting with fear.

    Serena placed both hands on Mairin’s shoulder. “You go in there and tell him the truth– what else is there to say to him? Of course this is a big thing, but this isn’t something you should try to put off. Remember, this is his child too.”

    Alain’s child– she was carrying Alain’s baby. Mairin had to struggling to keep to lunch in her stomach, her world starting to spin around. Now was not the time for her to get sick again, not when she had at least courage to speak to Alain. She braced herself against Serena, praying to whatever legendary was listening not to let her throw up.

    “Mairin!”

    Speaking of Yveltal...

    Mairin’s throat went dry as she heard Alain calling out– and it wasn’t from the lab. She glanced back, and found him approaching them from the gates. A look of relief broke out over his face as he rushed up to them. Mairin stumbled back as he approached, this action causing him to come to a stop several feet away from them.

    “Hi Alain,” Serena said, offering him a small smile.

    “Serena,” He replied. “Thank goodness you found her, we were getting so worry,” Alain’s blue eyes focused on Mairin. “You were gone for over an hour...”

    “S-so?” Mairin managed to choke out, feeling slightly dizzy.

    Alain hesitated. “...Mairin, you came downstairs screaming, then ran off... of course we were worried,” He held out his hand. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

    If she hadn’t been feeling so dizzy she probably would have refused him, but one step forward was all she needed to know that she wasn’t going to be walking on her own anytime soon. Her shaky hand clamped around Alain’s wrist for balance, careful to make sure that her fingers were away from his. She closed her eyes, her world starting to become a gray blur as she was lead towards the lab. She blindly allowed him to guide her, simply focusing on Serena’s footsteps behind them.

    She stubbed her foot on the steps of the lab, but still didn’t open her eyes, counting the steps in her mind as she lifted her foot. She heard the door swing open, and Alain calling out to the lab about how he had found her. Her eyes cracked open, sweat starting to form on her skin as she was lead to a couch in the front room of the lab. She sat, curling up on the edge, hands pressed against her head.

    There were sounds of footsteps entering the room, and the soft mumbles of questions and concerned voices. Serena gave a vague explanation of how she had found her and their lunch. Mairin could feel the many gazes drifting towards her, but yet she didn’t open her eyes until she felt something warm and silky touching her.

    Amber eyes flickered open to discover Ruby sitting in front of her, front paws up on the lip of the couch as she watched her trainer in concern. Mairin gave a tight smile, reaching out and petting her sleek horn. Tingles ran across Mairin’s fingers, and the lingering dizzy spell seemed to fade away. Mairin sat up slightly, looking around to find that all the members of the lab were here. Serena was sitting on the couch next to her, while Alain and the professor were on the large chairs near them. Max, Sophie, and Cosette were standing up, all them listening to Serena.

    “And that’s when we decided to come back to the lab,” Serena said softly. “I think Mairin just needed some space away from the lab to think,” Blue eyes flickered towards Mairin, Serena clearly hoping she had said the right things.

    Mairin hadn’t been listening to what she had been saying, but she nodded weakly anyways. She didn’t think Serena would say anything personal without her permission. Ruby laid her head in Mairin’s lap, who continued petting her as she tried to make sense of everything going on around her. After such a nice chance to breathe at the restaurant, she was back under the pressure of the lab, with everyone worried about her every move. They were watching her now, as if the way she was interacting with Ruby would somehow be the key to fix everything.

    “How are you feeling?” Sophie asked, her green eyes watching Mairin with almost a motherly look. Sophie was standing right behind the professor’s chair, and the two of them had seemed awfully close the last few days. Was there some aspect of their relationship she wasn’t aware of? Just how many things would pop up until she could get a feel for this strange place?

    “Better...” Mairin whispered, looking down at her hands.

    “Mairin?” Serena asked, and Mairin glanced to the side. “I can’t stay for too long... but do you want me to stay while you... or would you rather do that on your own time?”

    Tell Alain about the baby? She wanted to do that on her own time– but Mairin knew if she decided to do that then she’d never get the courage to say a word. She looked towards Alain, hands shaking slightly at the mere thought of making an announcement. How would he react? She should just tell Alain, or everyone at once?

    The logical part of her told her that it would probably be more appropriate to tell Alain in private, and then decide together who to tell from there– he was her husband after all. But... she didn’t remember that. Selfish? Maybe– but she just couldn’t bring herself to tell him something this big alone. All at once would be better, with Serena here too.

    “Is everything alright?” Professor Sycamore asked, glancing between Mairin and Serena.

    Mairin took in a deep breath, and forced herself to stand. She shoved all of the worries and fears to the back of her mind, and simply looked out at everyone. The room spun slightly as she stood, but it straightened out seconds later. Mairin didn’t allow herself a moment to hesitate, simply jumping right in before her withering of courage faded away completely.

    “I...” Mairin began, her tongue feeling heavy. “I’m sorry I made you guys worry earlier... I, um, supposed I owe you an explanation for why I acted that way...” Mairin’s eyes darted towards Alain, and her mouth went dry.

    Why was everyone staring at her... why were they staring? Couldn’t they look somewhere else...?

    “I was just really overwhelmed, and I didn’t know what else to do,” Mairin whispered, and she looked towards Serena, who gave her a nod. Mairin gulped, gathered all the willpower she had left, and closed her eyes. “You see, I... the thing is that I’m...” Her fingernails dug into her palms. “I’m p-pregnant.”

    She didn’t move, her words rushing out all at once. Though her voice had been quiet, her words seemed to echo through the room as she spoke. She flinched slightly, as if they had stung, but she didn’t dare to open her eyes. Nobody responded right off, taking in the news she had just given them.

    Professor Sycamore was first to speak. “I see...”

    His tone was soft, gentle. She opened her eyes, looking towards him, and she could almost see his racing thoughts. Mairin didn’t let her gaze linger on him for long, shifting up towards Sophie. The dark haired woman had a calm look on her face, and she simply gave Mairin a nod as if to say everything was okay. Cosette had bit her lip, while Max had closed his eyes. She didn’t know what they were feeling– overwhelmed? Surprised? Relieved that her sickness wasn’t something worse?

    Mairin didn’t linger on them, her gaze shifting to Alain’s chair.

    Empty.

    Mairin pulled back slightly, startled at the empty seat. Her eyes flickered up, where she could see Alain’s towering figure walking away, his steps swift. She stared at him, heart starting to race, and her lips cracked open.

    Alain paused, glancing back at her, blue eyes unreadable. His mouth remained still, making no effort to speak. He simply watched her with his cool gaze, before turning away once more. His steps echoed through the silent lab, his hand pulling open the front door of the lab in a single fluid motion.

    He then stepped outside, shutting the door behind him.


	9. Chapter 9

    Mairin stared at the door of the lab as Alain shut it, and she felt her heart sinking down into the pit of her stomach. It tightened around her heavy heart, squeezing it in a tight embrace as tears began to sting her eyes. Mairin didn’t say a word, her throat closing up, and began to she sway.

    She had told Alain that she was pregnant, and he had just walked away without a word.

    She felt like someone was slowly pouring a bucket of ice water over her, shivers racing down her spine. Her arms wrapped around herself, and a ringing filling her ears. She heard the other members of the lab talking, but yet sounds just blurred together. Mairin’s eyes remained locked on the door, her vision blurring as the tears ran down her face.

    It wasn’t until Serena’s hand touched her shoulder that she was jerked out of her thoughts.

    “Mairin?” She said softly.

    Mairin squeezed her eyes shut. “I... I...”

    Professor Sycamore was making his way towards her, his eyes gentle and concerned. She pulled away from him and Serena, raising her arms up as he reached out towards her, mouth open to speak. Mairin swiftly shook her head, cutting him off before he could even speak.

    “D-don’t,” She whispered, she didn’t want any form of comfort.

    Sycamore drew his hand back after a moment, mouth twitching before his lips pressed together. More tears were welling up in her eyes, and she tried to will them away. She was fine, she was fine... Mairin quickly turned her back away from everyone, hating the concerned looks being thrown her way. She just wanted to be alone, was that too much to ask–

     _“And sometimes we need to be left alone!”_

    Mairin stumbled as Alain’s voice angry echoed through her mind– the memory of the fight surprisingly vivid. She let out a small noise as she froze, heart thumping. She couldn’t help but glance back to see if Alain was somehow there, his voice having sounded so clear and real. Instead she was met with the gaze of everyone else, and she swiftly turned away once more.

    “I– I j-just want to be alone,” Mairin whispered to them.

    She heard someone step towards her, and Max started speaking. “Mairin, I’m sure Alain is just–”

    “Stop!” Mairin cried. “I don’t want to talk about him!”

    She could deal with this on her own, she didn’t need everybody flocking to her the moment something didn’t go her way. Didn’t they understand that life was like that, not always how you wanted? She could accept that, she could live with it! If Alain wanted to walk away without a word then she’d just had to accept that, no matter how much it hurt. No matter how much her heart felt like it was about to burst, and just because the tears wouldn’t stop coming didn’t mean she needed comfort–

    A sound of a Pokeball opening suddenly filled the room, and Mairin turned in time to see a beautiful Pokemon materialize in the center of the room, having just released herself from a Pokeball. The Pokemon was tall and elegant, soft pink eyes staring down at Mairin with a concerned look. She stared back at the Pokemon, a sharp pulse of pain forming at the base of her head. She let out a hiss of pain, hands clamping down over her head as the Gardevoir watched her.

    Mairin knew that Gardevoirs were sensitive to emotions, and perhaps this one had sensed her racing ones. It didn’t matter however, and within moments blackness was starting to dance across her vision as the pain increased. Her knees started her shake, darkness clouding her vision as voices cried out. The words were lost to Mairin however, the cries fading away as she was whisked away from consciousness.

    A new scene was spread out before her– the familiar hallways of the lab. Mairin looked around in confusion– the searing headache now completely gone. She was swiftly making her way down the dark hallway, stumbling and tripping, and like in her dreams Mairin had no control over herself. She stared at the scene playing out, and she recognized just where she was headed– and soon she found herself outside of Alain’s door, pushing it open.

     _“Who’s–?”_  A sharp voice asked as she burst in, though it quickly softened.  _“Oh, Mairin,”_  A figure stirred in Alain’s bed, sitting up as Mairin rushed towards him. Mairin noticed that the bed was not the queen sized one she knew was there today.  _“Come here...”_

    Alain looked like he was about to roll out of bed, but before he could do more than sit up Mairin crashed into his arms, forcing him to sink back to the bed. Mairin buried her head into his chest, breaking down into sobs. His arms gently wrapped around her, rubbing her back as he cradled her close. Mairin was stunned as she broke down in Alain’s arms– and he looked very unsuprised at this. It was at least several minutes before the tears slowed.

   _“A-alain–”_  Dream Mairin gasped.  _“M-make it stop...”_

     _“It’s over Mairin,”_  Alain whispered in her ear.  _“It’s all over now, I promise...”_

     _“M-my fault...”_  More tears welled up in her eyes.  _“Y-you should hate me... I’m a m-monster...”_

    Alain grabbed her shoulders, looking her fiercely in the eye.  _“No. You’re not. Don’t say that Mairin, don’t you dare say that!”_

    Dream Mairin stared at him, her amber eyes dim and almost lifeless. She just stared at Alain, her eyes going from his and slowly down his face, until she was staring at his lips. She watched them, blinking dimly.

     _“Alain...”_  She whispered.  _“Kiss me.”_

    Alain seemed startled at this sudden request, pulling back slightly.  _“Wha–?”_

    Dream Mairin quickly looked away.  _“N-no– wait– th-that was selfish of m-me–”_  She stuttered out, and her eyes pressed shut as her voice rose.  _“I’m sorry, I’m s-sorry– I’m so s-sorry!”_

    Alain’s arms were back around her, pulling her roughly against him.  _“Mairin, you did nothing wrong...”_  He spoke as if explaining something to a child.  _“Nothing wrong...”_

     _“Alain...”_  Dream Mairin muttered.  _“I... I can't feel anything...”_  She looked up at him.  _“I feel so empty, and it hurts...”_  More tears were in her eyes.  _“Wh-when you... when you kissed th-then...”_ Her whole form tensed up as she spoke, eyes wide and distant with fear. Alain swiftly pulled her back to look her in the eye, but by then Mairin seemed to return to her shaking self.  _“I felt so warm...”_

    _“...And you want to feel that again?”_ Alain finished softly, and dream Mairin nodded. Her eyes were towards the ground, looking ashamed– guilty– as if this were the worst thing she could ask for. Each limb was trembling with fear, and Alain cupped his hand under her chin so she was looking towards him. He looked hesitant, though his eyes gleamed.  _“M-mairin, I’d gladly do it again, if that’s what you want.”_

    Her eyes were wide, but she gave a single nod.

    There was a moment of stillness, and then Alain leaned forward. His eyes slid closed, while dream Mairin’s stayed open as their faces came closer. Alain’s lips pressed against hers, gentle and slow, and she continued staring straight ahead with open eyes. Alain looked as if he wanted to deepen the kiss, pulling her closer to him– but after a small moment he pulled away, nervously looking down at her as his eyes slid open. Dream Mairin hadn’t moved an inch, simply sitting there with an empty expression. Alain’s breathing seemed to be a bit uneven, his hand still against her face.

    Tears formed in her eyes, rolling down her expressionless face. He wiped a few away with his thumb, and her voice was a whisper.  _“I felt something.”_

    Alain nodded, his expression looking torn as he pulled his hand back.  _“I... I’m glad I could help...”_ He closed his eyes.  _“Mairin, you should get back to your room, Ruby will be worried if she wakes up with you gone.”_

    Dream Mairin’s expression hadn’t changed once, just tears falling down her face. She nodded in almost a robotic fashion, rising to her feet. Alain stood as well, placing one arm around her as he guided her out of his room. They walked down the hallway in silence, footsteps pattering against the floor until they were at last outside Mairin’s room, the door part way open. Mairin’s dreamself looked towards Alain, the smallest of frowns on her face.

   _“Alain...”_ She whispered.  _“W-will you kiss me again tomorrow...?”_

    He looked down at the pale girl leaning up against him.  _“If that will make you happy, th-then yes...”_

    Yet more tears were in her eyes.  _“Th-thank you...”_

    Alain said nothing, silently guiding her into her room– and that’s when the headache came bearing down on Mairin all at once. Blackness filled her vision, and the strange dream-like scene she was witnessing vanished. Her head felt like it was on fire, and a gasp of agony escaped her. Sounds whirled to life, a panic in the air, much different from the blissful silence she had seen moments before.

    Arms were around her, much rougher than the Alain of her dreams. They were strong though, pulling her up from the floor... when had she even fallen down? The headache was agony, but even through the pain she realized it was starting to fade. She was carried in someone’s grasp and gently set on the couch, and Mairin started to blink her eyes in hopes of regaining her sight.

    Everything was a blur, but slowly words started to come into focus.

    “Mairin, can you hear me?” Male voice, deeper– the professor. “Please Mairin, move, something!”

    “I... I hear you...” Mairin whispered. “Wh-what happened...?”

    Blackness danced away from her vision, a blur of colors starting to appear. She rubbed her head, the headache nearly completely gone now, but she felt so dizzy. Voices were still clamouring, but at least she could make out the slurred words.

    “I am  _so_  sorry!” Max cried, his voice sounding almost horrified. “She– Gardevoir has never done something like that before,” Max said, and she heard footsteps moving towards her. “Sh-she knows how sensitive you are to her energy, and she has always stayed away from you, but– but–”

    “Gardevoir wouldn’t let Max return her to her Pokeball,” Serena explained in a soft voice. “She even hit Ruby with a Dazzling Gleam when she tried to attack...” A hand was on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, to go through two trances in one day...”

    Mairin closed her eyes, waiting for her sight to focus. “Wh-what happens during the trances?”

    She wanted to know what these scenes were that she kept seeing. Were they just dreams, her imagination? If so why were they so vivid? Could they be something... more? Or was that just hopefully thinking?

    “You black out,” Max said, and he still sounded guilty. “And you just scream... usually,” Mairin hated how pained he sounded, what happened with the Gardevoir wasn’t his fault. “Y-you just fainted this time, but still, I should have had my Pokemon under better control. Oh by Kyogre’s seas, I’m so sorry Mairin...”

    “It’s fine,” Mairin whispered. “The headache is gone...”

    So they didn’t know that she saw things... Either she hadn’t told anyone about that– or it hadn’t happened before today. Why was that? Perhaps things weren’t always like this? Because she didn’t blackout at all at the doctor’s office, she just got a headache... but with the Gardevoir and Delphox she had been basically immersed in these dream-like states...

    She opened her eyes, and she was finally able to make out the lab around her, even though the edges were still slightly blurry. She buried her head into her hands, trying to understand just what had taken place. It had seemed so realistic, something much more than she could have just made up. Her fingers twitched slightly, wondering if the idea was too good to be true.

    But was she seeing memories?

    The idea was so appealing... a way to peer at what she was missing... if that was even what she was seeing. Perhaps her mind was truly messed up from whatever had caused her the amnesia, and now she was just seeing things.

    But... but the look she had seen on Alain’s face during the trance...

    It was the same look she had been seeing the last few days– clearly wanting to be close to her, but staying back. Her fingers curled against her head, mind whirling to block out everyone trying to speak to her, asking if she was alright. Like so many things she had faced the last few days, there was just several things she had to accept, not able to deny.

    She had amnesia, and several years had past.

    Everything had changed, including the people around her.

    She was pregnant, and was going to be a mother.

    But as she sat there she realized there was something she had been denying to acknowledge, even if it was something she couldn't ignore. It was right then she came to fully accept the fact, as she sat there on the couch with everyone around her.

    Alain loved her.

    Even though he had walked out just minutes before, she knew that this was true. Yes, it was something she understood when she had learned that she was married, but now she was embracing what that truly meant. He loved her– she was someone that he cared for, someone he wanted to spend his life with. Not just a friend he wanted in his life, but someone he wanted to be his life.

    He had been spending everyday since her amnesia respecting the sudden boundaries she had thrown up, doing everything he could for her without crossing the lines she had suddenly set. Mairin sat there, wondering just how much that hurt him, to be unable to be close to the one he called his wife. Her hand went to where her baby was resting in her, they clearly had shared so much together in the times she had forgotten...

    Yes, he may have just walked away, but that didn’t mean that she knew why. It was just like the fight– his actions could be connected to something that might not even involved her... though she couldn’t think of anything off of the top of her head. Was it because another boundary had been put up– one with their own very child? Or perhaps he was feeling the same overwhelming emotions she had to face on her own this very morning– and she too had walked out of the lab.

    If what she was seeing in the... dreams, were real, then that meant she had seen first hand how much he had come to care for her over the years– she had seen it in his eyes. If it were real then it meant that she had finally seen for herself a glimpse of what their relationship had been at one point in these last five years– and not just someone telling her how it had been.

    She felt a head rest on her lap, and she opened her eyes to see Ruby, looking slightly wore from the apparent battle she had with the Gardevoir. However the dark type’s eyes were concerned, and much more relaxed now that the Gardevoir was back in the Pokeball.

    “Ruby?” Mairin asked quietly. “Do you know where Alain might have gone too?”

    Ruby pulled back slightly, hesitating, but then nodded. “Sol...”

    “Will you take me there?” Mairin asked. “I want to talk to him.”

    “Mairin,” Sophie said, stepping in. “You should be resting, and I’m sure Alain needs–”

    Mairin closed her eyes. “If it doesn’t want to talk I won’t make him– but that doesn’t change the fact that we need too,” She pushed herself to her feet, a wave of dizziness washing over her. “I... I feel fine. I’m fine...” She was lying slightly, but oh well, she couldn’t let them confine her to the lab. “Ruby, please take me to Alain.”

    She looked around at her lab family, and Serena, all who had that look of concern she had seen so much the last few days. Ruby went to her side, and without thinking Mairin pressed her hand around Ruby’s horn. The Absol took a step forward, leading Mairin towards the door.

    “Mairin...” Serena began.

    “I’ll have Ruby with me,” Mairin said. “I’ll be fine.”

    Serena smiled. “I know. Just.... be careful.”

    Mairin smiled back, but she didn’t linger– she didn’t need the rest of the lab trying to stop her. She let them sit there, still slightly surprised from everything that was suddenly happening, and she opened the door. Ruby headed out, and for the second time that day Mairin found herself walking out onto the busy streets of Lumiose, this time with an Absol by her side.

* * *

 

    Mairin wasn’t sure where she had thought Ruby was going to take her– but the graveyard was the last place she had expected.

    But the Absol came to a stop outside of the entrance of Lumiose cemetery, watching Mairin with her bright red eyes. The Pokemon tilted her head slightly, as if gesturing Mairin to go in. She looked out the gloomy sight before her, rows upon rows of gravestones out on perhaps one of the few grassy areas of the city. A simple road wound through the silent place, trees sprouting along the path.  

    “He’s in here?” Mairin asked in an uncertain tone.

    Ruby nodded, looking quite sure of herself. Her gaze remained sorrowful though, watching Mairin with her bright gaze. The woman hesitated, taking a step towards the entrance, glancing back at the Absol.

    “Aren’t you coming?” Mairin asked uncertainly, and Ruby shook her head. “B-but... but how will I find him?”

    Ruby simply looked down the path, and made no effort to move from outside of the cemetery. Mairin hesitated, looking down the path as well, mustering her courage. She took a step into the graveyard, and a sense of dread washed over her. Not the eeriness of the fact that this was the place for the dead, but rather as if everything was telling her that this was the last place she wanted to be.

    She swallowed the sensation, and started down the path, eyes sweeping the silent cemetery for a sign of Alain. She didn’t see anything right off, just the soft grass and the cold stones lining the graveyard. Her eyes drifted down to the flat ones that lined the edges of the path, small and worn compared to the towering ones beyond this small road. She felt her throat tightening as she read the dates of these smaller graves– some with only months or days between the birth and death date– even a few where the day was the same.

    Babies.

    Her stomach twisted, and a rush of fear crashed over Mairin. Why had Ruby brought her here... why would Alain even be here?! She was sick, this was making her so sick, her heart aching with a sorrow for those that laid around her. Her hands were protectively wrapped around her middle, steps increasing as she went further into the cemetery. There wasn’t a hill per se, but there was a slight slope in the road as she made her way past the rows of stones, and her legs were starting to feel it. She paused as she reached the top of the incline, breathing heavily as she looked out over the rest of the graveyard that was now in sight.

    And that’s when she saw Alain.

    He was at the bottom of the small hill– a ways from the path, sitting under a tree. His back was to her, and resting in front of him was a set of headstones, pressed close together. Mairin looked at him, a part of her still slightly surprised that this was the place that he had gone. She hesitated for a moment, before at least making her way down the path towards him. Her heart started to race faster– she still had no idea of what to say to him. But yet... she knew that they needed to talk.

    He didn’t move as she came towards him, her approach slow. He gave no sign that he heard her, simply remaining in the same place on the grass, gaze on the stones. It wasn’t until Mairin set foot on the grass to go to him that he moved, though merely a small shift. She paused, a rush of cold fear taking hold of her.

    “...Are you just going to stand there?” Alain asked after a moment, not turning around. She flinched slightly, though she knew she shouldn’t be surprised– he always seemed to know when someone was around.

    When she didn’t reply he scooted over, tapping the grass next to him with his fingers. Her body moved forward even though her emotions were far from ready, and the next thing she knew she was sitting down next to him. The grass was cool against her skin, and his persona nor the aura of the cemetery made no effort to warm that. He still didn’t look at her, gaze locked the stones. She felt her own gaze being pulled towards them, reading the words on the two gravestones.

   _Harper Hills Vide_

_Loving wife_

_Loving mother_

    Mairin looked over the years– this woman had been only twenty four when she had passed away– only a year older than Mairin was now. Her eyes shifted to the second stone.

  _Simon Alan Vide_

_Loving husband_

    The years showed that he had been in his forties when he had died– both had died relatively young, but yet there was still nearly twenty years between their deaths. Mairin stared at the stones a bit longer, not sure of what to make of them. A single white lily rested on top of grave of Harper, while an unwrapped stick of gum was on top of Simon’s.

    “Mairin,” Alain said quietly. “These are my parents.”

    She stiffened slightly, her eyes right away fixating on the grave of Simon. Her throat tightened, gaze shifting between Alain and the grave of his father– which was the one in front of Mairin. She inched back a bit, just remembering what kind of man Alain had said his father had been. He glanced at her for a moment, blue eyes unreadable, and he sighed.

    “I... I considered not burying them next to each other,” Alain muttered. “But... but my mother never saw the man he became. The last time she saw Fa- Simon– was when he was still the man she had fallen in love with,” He closed his eyes. “She would have wanted to be buried next to him, so that’s what I did.”

    “I’m sorry,” Mairin whispered.

    “It’s surprising to see you here,” Alain said. “You haven’t been able to bring yourself to come in years...” For the first time since she had arrive he turned his head to look straight at her. “I’m glad you came, though.”

    “You’re not mad at me?” Mairin asked, almost meekly.

    He let out a short puff of air. “And just why, Mairin, would I be mad at you?”

    Her hand went to her belly. “B-because I’m–”

    He held up a hand. “Nevermind. I understand why I gave you that impression,” Alain spoke swiftly, looking away. “No, I am not upset at all...” His eyes slid shut. “I’m sorry Mairin, that was selfish of me to walk out like that.”

    Both hands went to her stomach. “Why did you, th-then?”

    Instead of answering however, Alain asked a question of his own. “Mairin... do you want the baby?”

    Her heart thumped, heavy in her chest. She already knew the answer– but yet she wanted to know how he felt before she said anything. Fear crawled up her throat, dragging any words she attempted to say down to her stomach. She struggled against herself, trying to figure out just how to answer the question.

    “Be honest,” Alain said after a minute of silence passed between them. “I’ll know if you lie to me– do you want the baby?”

     _“Yes!”_  Mairin cried out, louder than she had intended. “It’s my baby Alain, and I want her, I want my baby!”

    She closed her eyes, arms still pressed tightly against her middle. She sat there, the silence of the cemetery ringing in their ears. She waited to see what he would say, the fear crawling back in her once more.

    Alain didn’t speak.

    However, a pair of arms wrapped around her, Alain pulling her into a protective hug. She was pressed against his chest, her head tucked under his chin, arms squeezing tightly against her. She could feel him taking a huge breath, somehow managing to hug her even tighter. She could feel something digging into her shoulder– and right off she knew it was the leather necklace with the key stone and the rings. Alain held her for a moment longer, before pulling back– a huge smile on his face.

    All at once she felt all her worries melt away– seeping out from her and into the earth.

    He wanted their baby too.

    “I should have realized that you were expecting on my own,” Alain whispered, his hands going to her shoulders. “We... we wanted to start a family before... you lost your memories.”

    Tingles ran through her. “We did?”

    “I... I was unsure at first,” Alain said, eyes distant, but the smile still there. “But ever since you hatched Poppy from an egg you said you wanted to be a mother... you wanted to hold your baby...”

    His words resounded with what she was feeling at this moment– those emotions hadn’t changed. She wanted the baby growing in her, the thought was overwhelming, but she wanted the baby. She simply nodded, acknowledging the truth of his words.

    His hands pulled back from her shoulders, and they swiftly returned to his lap once he realized he was touching her. She didn’t mind the contact however, but didn’t know just how to voice that.

    “I...” Alain began, and he bit his lip. “When I walked out earlier, I was... I was afraid that your feelings might have changed with your amnesia. I could only remember how you acted this morning, and I thought you were probably horrified with me,” He flinched. “And after everything y-you’ve been through, I just couldn’t bare the thought of you hurting even more... and I just didn’t know how to handle that...”

    “So you walked away,” Mairin finished.

    He closed his eyes. “I just didn’t know how to handle everything...”

    He looked guilty, as if being overwhelmed was somehow a crime. She reached out, grabbing his arm as she tried to find some way to comfort him. She had done the same thing, running off without a word of explanation, Alain didn’t have to feel horrible for feeling the same. Besides, she was no longer fearing being alone with the child she was carrying, because Alain would be with her. Perhaps... perhaps she didn’t remember their marriage, or feel the same way for him as he did for her... but he would be there.

    She looked back towards the gravestone, wondering if that’s why he had come here. He had lost his whole family, so perhaps he had come to be near his mother while he tried to make sense of the news she had given him. She looked over the gravestone of Harper, wondering just what kind of person she had been. She got no sense of eeriness like she had felt when she had first walked into the cemetery, the stone looking almost beautiful, especially with the lily resting on top.

    “Alain,” She asked, tilting her head slightly, knowing that Alain hadn’t had flowers with him when he had left the lab. “Did you bring that flower for your mother today?”

    He seemed slightly startled at the topic change, and glanced at the lily. “I- I always buy a flower when I come, there’s a flower shop a block away from here and...” He shook his head. “I don’t remember much about my mother, I was four when she died... but I do remember her planting lilies out in the garden and smiling at me.”

    Her eyes shifted to his father's grave, and she shifted slightly, wondering if she should even bring him up. Alain had placed no flowers on his grave, but the small silvery foil of the gum wrapper caught her curiosity.

    “Wh-what about the chewing gum...?” She asked hesitantly, and Alain’s expression clouded over.

    At first he didn’t say a word, and she lowered her head guiltily.

    “...He gave me a package of gum once, when I was seven...” Alain whispered. “It wasn’t much, I suppose, but it was one of the only times he wasn’t d-drunk after mom’s death...”

    He didn’t say another word, and Mairin didn’t press the topic.

    Silence filled the cemetery once more, the cloudy sky shifting overhead. Mairin longed for the sun, but she had a feeling that a storm would be coming before that. While it didn’t seem like it was going to rain today, the grayness overhead suggested that it wouldn’t before long before that happened.

    Mairin didn’t take her hand away from Alain’s arm, and he made no effort to move it. So they simply sat there side by side, silence filling the spaces between their thoughts. There was a calm about Mairin, one she hadn’t truly felt in days, and she was just starting to realize how peaceful it was just to be near Alain. So many of her memories involved her hyper antics, and she was startled to realize just how wonderful his silence could be.

    She looked towards him, and the memory from her trance rose in her mind. Him cupping his smooth hand under her chin, leaning forward to kiss her...

    She looked away, cheeks slightly flushed at the idea. What was she doing? Feeling bashful at the thought of him kissing her! She was carrying his child for Xerneas’ sake, thinking of kissing him wasn’t something she should act sheepish about! She didn’t even know if what she had seen was real. She banished the childish thoughts from her mind, knowing that they had much more to worry about. Like the fact that she was going to be bringing a child into this world– and she couldn’t even remember dating someone.

    “...I guess we’ll have to cancel your appointment tomorrow,” Alain said after a moment. “I don’t think any sort of scans they can do on will be safe for a baby. And since anything that involves a psychic is out of the question too, we probably won’t be able to do anything until after the baby’s born...”

    He trailed off, but she understood what he was getting at. They now had no clear place to begin on learning the origins of the amnesia, let alone on hoping to restore her memories. This meant that she was going to be bringing a child into the world with parents that were married– but yet one couldn’t even remember that. Both she and Alain clearly wanted this child in their life, yet Mairin saw him as a friend while to him she was so much more. She didn’t even have to think long on it to know just how much of a struggle this would be.

    But they had what, nine months to attempt to figure this out, right...? But still, they couldn’t go on like this; her trudging along and locking herself away from the rest of the lab, and Alain’s constant worrying over her. She... she was fine– missing a few memories– but she could go on in life. They were married, and clearly they had once held strong feelings for each other. If she could simply find that again...

    Mairin looked at Alain, hesitating. “Alain?”

    “Yes, Mairin?” He asked.

    “Can I ask you something?”

    He scanned her for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed, though his gaze was soft. She wondered if he thought she was going to ask about her past. It was no secret that he was keeping things from her, and he knew that she was aware of that fact. She wasn’t even going to attempt to press it, because she had a feeling that he wasn’t going to say a word, and she didn’t want to ruin the small connection that had they had just formed.

    “...Yes,” Alain said. “Don’t ever feel that you can’t.”

    “Well, I was thinking,” Mairin said, one hand plucking at the grass. “That nothing is going to change if we keep doing what we’ve been doing these last few days...” She trailed off. “What I mean, is, what I was thinking was perhaps we could try to...”

    “Yes?” Alain asked, sounding slightly humored at her stammering.

    “Well maybe we could do this whole– er– thing, again?” Mairin asked, and she knew that her words made no sense. “Like, it would be again for you, but not for me. But– um– something was there once, and just because I can’t remember anything doesn’t mean we can’t try...” She flushed. “I’m just rambling, aren’t I?”

    Alain smiled. “Yes, you are.”

    She drew her arm back, linking her fingers together. “Er... what I was trying to say is...” She chewed on her lip for a moment. “I think we should start at the very beginning of this whole... relationship thing? ...L-like maybe go out on a d-date or something?”

    Alain seemed surprised at this, blinking as she spoke– his expression mirroring what it had been in the trance when dream Mairin had asked for a kiss– very surprised, but not looking at all dejected by the idea.

    “You want...” He said slowly.

    “I... I care a lot about you,” Mairin said softly. “There’s no reason to say that it can’t grow into something more... and considering that we’re married it clearly has before...” She shook her head. “Maybe it’s stupid, but considering that I have nothing in here,” She tapped her head. “And someone in here,” She pressed her hand over her stomach. “I... I think that maybe this is something we should do.”

    She looked at Alain, and he was smiling– a true, happy smile. “Mairin, I think that’s a wonderful idea,” He said, eyes gleaming. “I’d love the opportunity to give you a proper first date. If- if you’re really okay with that.”

    “I wouldn’t say it otherwise,” Mairin muttered, fingers twisting. She had a feeling that he was much more excited about the idea than she was.

    But still... a date. As someone that had never had the opportunity before, it sent a surge of excitement through her. An uncertain smile flickered up on her face, and her stomach twisted slightly. She looked up at Alain, whose persona seemed to have brightened since she had first arrive. She smiled in return, and he pushed himself to his knees. After he stood he held a hand out to her, a small look of hesitation entering his eyes.

    She reached up, placing her hand within his, and he pulled her to her feet. He smiled down on her, still managing to tower over her in height even after all of these years. They didn’t say another word to each other as he lead her back to the main path. She slipped her hand out of his, still not quite ready for that, but did she link her arm through his.

    A slight frown crossed her face as they reached the path. “Alain... isn’t the exit the other way?”

    He paused, he had been heading down the path opposite of where Mairin had come in. He blinked, then closed his eyes for a moment, turning and they started heading back towards the entrance.

    “Sorry...” He muttered. “Force of habit.”

    “...Habit?” She asked, looking up at him. His gaze was towards the ground, eyes flickering, and she glanced over her shoulder. Why would he go deeper into a graveyard out of habit? “Alain... do you know someone else that’s buried here?”

    He swallowed hard.

    “...I ...I have more... family buried here,” He muttered after a moment, eyes looking pained– clearly a topic he did not wish to be pressed.

    Mairin stopped. “We don’t have to leave now, if you usually go see them as well when you come here–”

    Alain swiftly shook his head. “No Mairin, we don’t have to. I... I miss them all,” He looked at her, expression unreadable. “But I can come here anytime. But right now... right now those that are alive is where my focus should be.”

    Mairin nodded slowly in understanding, and then together they continued along the path of the cemetary– the exit soon coming in sight. There was Ruby, sitting at the gates, her scarlet gaze turned skywards. The Absol looked towards them as they approached, a small smile on the Pokemon’s face.

    And together, they all returned to the lab.


	10. Chapter 10

    Tonight the Hyper Beam hit her.

    After so many nights of seeing the green being releasing the attack at her– only to awaken moments before it struck– she had come to expect that. At this point she had felt no fear as she had watched the dark mass of energy rush towards her as she flew through the night sky. Except for this time she didn’t jerk awake– and the attack slammed into her chest.

    It was agony.

    No cry of pain escaped dream Mairin’s mouth– but a burst of pain flared across her body as the Hyper Beam slammed against her. It was as if she had been set on fire, the painful flames biting her skin. The force of the Hyper Beam knocked her from her flight– sending her crashing towards the ground. The wind rushed past her, its whistling nearly as painful as the deafening roar coming from the green being above.

    Then she slammed into the earth, a plume of sand being sent up as she crashed into the desert. Somehow despite the sand stinging her eyes, her dream self made no effort to close its eyes. The sting of the sand was nothing compared to the agony on her body however. Her head tilted skyward as the sand started to settle– the green creature zipping overhead to discover her fate. The pain was searing, as if it were eating away at her very flesh– yet it started to die down moments later, a brief glow surrounding her as it did so.

    Her eyes were trained on the night sky– and for the first time Mairin was properly able to observe green being that had been haunting her nightmares for so many nights. Shivers raced through Mairin as she realized that this creature was no stranger to her however, its serpentine shape having once fed her nightmares when she was a still on her journey years before.

    Rayquaza.

    The mighty dragon let out a roar of frustration as it saw her standing, circling above her as he prepared to attack once more. Everything screamed at Mairin to run, but her dream self remained in a strange calm. An energy ran through her, and it felt as if her body had turned to jelly. It was a sensation she couldn’t even describe... but she felt like she was changing, flowing.

    The feeling was so alien that Mairin could feel herself shivering even though her mind was still locked in the dream.

    The foreign feeling faded, and Mairin noticed that the ground seemed farther below her than before. She didn’t have time to consider this though, and her body rose up into the air once more, rushing up to meet the Rayquaza. He let out a bitter snarl, purple energy gathering in front of him. She felt her arms coming together, a energy humming through her at the same moment the Dragon Pulse was forming in front of Rayquaza...

    And that’s when Mairin found herself being pulled from her dream.

    She wasn’t jerked awake like she so often had these last few nights, rather she felt a warm grasp on her arm shaking her. She was slowly waking up, the vivid desert night vanishing as her room took shape. She sat straight up as she found herself shaken out of the dream– skin coated in sweat, her heart racing. She jerked her head around, mind trying to piece everything together.

    “Lu,” A low voice said, and she turned and found herself looking into the eyes her Lucario.

    “L-luke,” Mairin whispered, and she glanced around her dark room. She paused to gather her thoughts. “Is... is something wrong? It’s still night, isn’t it? Why did you wake me up?”

    “Rio,” He grunted, and he placed a paw right next to the spike on his chest– where his heart was. He then watched her with intent eyes, as if trying to force her to understand with his gaze. She just stared back, and he rolled his eyes. After a moment he held his paw out, a blue glow lighting it, and then he placed it on her chest. “Lu.”

    “Aura,” She after a moment, remembering just what the species were known for. “You woke me up... because of my aura?”

    “Car,” Luke said, relaxing.

    She thought on this. “Could you sense I was having a nightmare or something then? I guess something like that could make my aura go weird... I mean, I don’t know much about aura...” She glanced at him. “When did you even get out of your Pokeball?”

    He shrugged. “Lu.”

    She snorted. “I appreciate it, but all I have been having lately is nightmares, I’m pretty use to it now... that and being sick,” She added as her stomach growled– she had thrown up at dinner and had gone to bed with an empty stomach. “The dreams feel so real, Luke... but now that I think about it’s pretty clear that these nightmares aren’t real... like, the ones with Rayquaza are just impossible!”

    Because she knew for a fact that she couldn’t fly.

    Luke pulled back as she said Rayquaza’s name. His eyes widened, and he watched Mairin for a second. There was a brief moment of hesitation, but then he reached out for the edge of her bed– right where Ruby was curled up fast asleep.

    “No!” Mairin cried in a loud whisper, grabbing his paw. He looked up at her, and she held her breath as Ruby stirred, but stayed asleep. Mairin swiftly looked about the room– Chespie was asleep in the corner like usual, and Poppy was curled up on the pillow. “You’re going to wake up Ruby, aren’t you?”

    “Rio,” He replied, yanking his paw out of her grasp and reaching for the Absol again.

    “I don’t want you telling her!” Mairin insisted in a loud whisper. “I know I struggled with nightmares about Rayquaza in the past, but my memories aren’t straight so it’s no surprise that they’ve come up again,” Luke just started at her. “L-look, I’ve seen Ruby and Alain alone with each other, I’m pretty sure that they take turns keeping tabs on me.”

    Luke nodded in confirmation at this statement, which only made Mairin’s heart twist.

    “This was just a nightmare...” Mairin said slowly. “I don’t want Ruby to start worrying over nothing, and then get Alain worried too. We finally got on positive terms today, er- yesterday I guess, and I don’t want to ruin that by him getting worked up over some nightmare like I know he would. I’m fine, so can we please just keep this between you and me?”

    The dreams weren’t even that horrifying... just painful.

    Luke hesitated, the Lucario glancing at Ruby, before at last letting out a long sigh. Mairin brightened as the canine nodded.

    “Thank you,” She said in a whisper, reaching out and pulling him into a hug. She quickly let go as the spike in his chest dug into her– Lucarios really weren’t meant to be hugged. “Heh. I’m going to try to go back to sleep now, kay?”

    Luke waved a paw, as if telling her to get on with it, and she laid back down. It was a unsettling to know that the Lucario was probably just staring at her, so she rolled over on her side so she was facing away from him. She felt Poppy press up against her, and she turned back over to look at the little Pokemon.

    “Lee...” The little sea lion said softly in her sleep, a small bubble expanding and contracting as she breathed, just like in a cartoon. She smiled, wondering if Popplios were where that animation feature had come from.

    “Hey, Luke...” Mairin asked softly. “Can you sense the aura of my baby...? Or she still too young to have her own aura...? Everyone has their own, right...?”

    Luke sighed, but closed his eyes. His aura sensors were spread out, and one paw was held out towards her, glowing. She watched him as he scanned her with his aura powers, and after a moment he opened his eyes. He held his paws closely together, then pointed at her stomach.

    “A little bit?” She said, recognizing the gesture. “Are you saying you can sense a small aura? Like... it’s really dim?”

    She wondered if she was wording that right, but aura seemed to be some kind of inner light.

    The Lucario nodded.

    Mairin smiled, and she placed both hands on her stomach. “Do you hear that? You already have your own aura... you’re alive in there...” She smiled. “She’s alive Luke, I have a baby in me.”

    The feeling was amazing, knowing that her own child was within her.

    She didn’t know why she kept calling the baby a she– there was no way possible that they could know at this point. But yet every time she thought of the little child in her, even though it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since she had found out about her, she just felt that it was going to be a girl.

    “Thank you, Luke...” Mairin whispered, and she closed her eyes, hands still over to stomach.

    It wasn’t long until Mairin fell asleep once more, a smile on her face. The smile remained, even as the center of her back and the twisting marks on her arms started to tingle, a new dream taking hold of her. Luke’s eyes narrowed as he felt her aura twisted again, drowning out the small flicker of aura coming from the baby.

    But her churning aura gave no sign of a nightmare that threw her emotions about like the one he had woken her up from– so Luke let her sleep.

* * *

 

     _“Eeeeee!”_

    “Ow...” Mairin muttered at the high pitched squeal. “Bonnie, I don’t need to lose my hearing alongside my memories!”

    “Sorry,” Bonnie said, the blonde making no effort to hide the huge grin on her face. “But this is like the cutest thing ever!”

    “‘Cute’?” Max muttered, shaking his head. “You meet your amnesic friend, and you call it cute?”

    Bonnie waved her hand in a dismissive manner, scooting closer to Mairin. “Max told me about your amnesia the day it happened, so it’s not a surprise for me anymore,” Her grin softened into a smile. “I would have come by sooner, but Max didn’t want me to overwhelm you while you were adjusting,” Bonnie scoffed. “But I highly doubt you seeing me would have overwhelmed you though.”

    “It’s great to see you again,” Mairin said with a smile, shifting on the couch in Bonnie’s apartment uncertainly. Her energetic friend’s spirit had clearly had not been dampered in the passing years, and like seeing Serena it was nice to have a familiar, smiling face. “The first few days were hard, but I think I’m settled now.”

    A week. As of today it had been a whole week since she had lost her memories.

   Yesterday had been a day of phone calls– canceling doctors appointments for her scans, and making new ones for the baby. Alain had taken care of all of it, much to Mairin’s relief. Mairin was an outgoing person, but talking to bored receptionists had never been an enjoyable pastime.

    “Honestly, this whole thing is just the cutest thing ever,” Bonnie said with a grin as her Dedenne climbed onto her shoulder. “It’s like an adorable movie– girl loses her memories, and is now trying to rekindle a forgotten love...”

    “More like a bad fanfiction,” Max muttered, earning a playful slap from Bonnie.

    “Fanfictions are awesome,” Bonnie said. “You just have to find the good ones!” She returned her focus to Mairin, still grinning. “Now, tell me everything about the baby!”

    “Um... well... I’m having one,” Mairin said uncertainly– literally all she knew about it.

    “Are far along are you?” Bonnie asked excitedly. “Do you want a boy or a girl? Do you have any names picked out? What–”

    “Breathe,” Max told Bonnie, his tone sounding exasperated, as if this were something he had to remind his girlfriend of constantly. “And we don’t know how far along she is, she hasn’t been to the doctor yet. She could be anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks, Mairin could have also easily been keeping quiet about this before the amnesia hit.”

    Mairin shook her head. “I have a feeling I would have told Alain if I knew before,” She shifted. “Though I could be farther along, since the first few weeks can be pretty uneventful... at least that’s what it said in that book Sophie lent to me.”

    Bonnie’s eyes gleamed. “Sophie has a book about pregnancy,” She gave Max a light punch in the arm. “Ha! I told you she and the professor would want to start a family sometime!”

    Max sighed. “Or, maybe, we live in a huge lab with a ton of books.”

    Bonnie didn’t seem put off at this at all, victory still gleaming in her eyes. “Anyways– names? Gender? Anything, I’m all ears!”

    Mairin gave a faint smile, pausing to gather her thoughts. “Well... I think it’s going to be a girl, just gut instinct, you know? As for names, I honestly really have no idea... I guess that’s another thing I’ll have to talk to Alain about...”

    Bonnie snorted. “You’re going to name the baby.”

    “It’s his baby too!” Mairin said, her hands going to her stomach.

    Bonnie laughed. “Yeah? So? You’re going to be the one naming it! Not only are you going to be delivering my future niece– oh yeah, I’m going to be her adopted aunt– but Alain is horrible when it comes to names! You’ve seen it with his Pokemon, the only time he’s ever tried to name one was when his Charizard had that egg, and even in the end you had to come in and stop him from calling it ‘Charmander the second’.”

    A strange feeling settled into Mairin’s chest. “...I named Alex?”

    Bonnie paused as well, as if just realizing what she brought up. “Yeah... you did. You two did use to get along...” Bonnie shook her head. “We’re here to talk about you though– I’ll go grab some papers and we can start brainstorming names!”

    Then just like that Bonnie was on her feet, darting out of the room with a Dedenne climbing onto her head.

    Mairin had a smile on her face. “It’s nice to see some people haven’t changed.”

    Max looked off towards where Bonnie had ran out. “Believe it or not she does have a mature side to her. I think she’s just really excited to see you again... I mean, the old you.”

    Mairin frowned. “...What do you mean?”

    Max glanced down at his feet. “...Mairin... let’s just say if we went back a few years, even seeing a forced smile was considered rare,” Max looked away. “I think Bonnie’s just really glad to see the side of you that’s not afraid to smile again.”

    The strange feeling returned to Mairin’s chest, twisting. “...What happened?”

    Max’s hands tightened. “...I’d rather not talk about it,” He said in a low tone. “It was hard on everyone.”

    Mairin looked away, knowing that she could press Max some more– but she didn’t. Clearly what had taken place was a struggle, since Max had been very open with her until now. Mairin also knew that he wasn’t purposely clamming up like Alain had been doing, and it wouldn’t be fair to try to make him speak about something he didn’t want to. So instead Mairin settled onto the couch, trying to ignore the dizzy feeling in her head as she waited for Bonnie to return.

    Bonnie did return– with colored pens and bright pieces of paper to write down baby names. A Greninja had come in after her carrying a tray of cookies on its head, which Mairin politely declined, not wanting to gamble against her stomach at someone else’s house. So they sat around Bonnie’s small coffee table jotting down names, light conversation passing between them. Max seemed to maintain a serious attitude no matter what silliness Bonnie tossed into the air, but the smile on his face showed that he was happy.

    Mairin chose to stay quieter, the smell of the cookies making her stomach tighten. She focused on the list she was writing, taking her time with each name she wrote. This wasn’t the first list of names she had written in her lifetime– when she was younger she had done this as well, with the idea of parenthood far off though– but there was a fresh sense of realness running through her now. Even if Bonnie had pulled this idea out for fun, Mairin found herself carefully considering each name before she added it to the list.

    All of the names were girl names.

    “You know, this really is a lot of fun,” Bonnie let out a sigh as she added another name to her growing list. “It makes me really want to have a baby.”

    Mairin stiffened a grin as she noticed that Max was now staring very intently as his paper.

* * *

    Mairin was not looking forward to another night of sleep.

    Because that meant only another painful nightmare.

    She shivered as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her as the water shut off. She had now spent two nights in a row being hit by the painful Hyper Beam, and the mere thought of going through that pain again made her gulp– because it felt so real. Lucario had woken her up again last night before the dream had progressed too far, and she wondered how long it would be before he decided to tell someone...

    No, she’d just have to force her thoughts elsewhere before she went to sleep. Just think hard enough on something else, and hopefully her mind would comply and let her dreams be elsewhere tonight. Mairin relaxed somewhat as she dried herself off, though doubts still lingered as she started to put on her nightwear– since the nightmares had been there every night so far.

    Mairin was starting to understand why she had woken up in short pants and a tank top that first night without her memories, when she was used to wearing warmer things to bed– she always woke up sweating now because of her dreams. She slipped on her shorts, wondering just how long it’d be until she’d have to wear different outfits because of the baby.

    She paused, before looking up into the mirror. Even if she had been becoming more accepting of the situation she was in, she still had been avoiding looking at her reflection for too long. No matter what was happening, nothing was more disconcerting than looking in the mirror and seeing a face older than what you were use too– even if it was by only a few years. However she pulled those thoughts away as she looked at herself, wondering what she’d look like with a little bump.

    Her hands went to her bare belly, excitement running through her. Her baby– something that couldn’t be taken from her. This was her child, a member of her family that was growing right in her. It was such a wonderful feeling to think on, one that always made her heart soar. She turned a bit, taking in her exhausted form, wondering if she’d ever get used to the struggles of pregnancy. She wasn’t even that far along, surely it would only get harder from here...

    Her hands tranced the twisting white marks on her arms as she thought, and Mairin shivered at the touch. She pulled her hands away, hating the sensation of the tingles running through them. She peered into the mirror again, examining the marks. They wound up her arms, twisting all the way to her shoulders. She shifted the strap of her bra slightly as she studied the marks, wondering just what had formed them.

    She turned around, wondering if they continued on her back at all, and she found herself going still as she looked at her back. There was indeed a white mark on her back– but it was not part of the twisting ones. This one was right in the center of her back– a huge white circle that stood out against the rest of her skin. She just stared, gulping slightly.

    Because the mark was just where she had felt the burning during her trance out on the streets.

    Her arms had burned in that trance then too... so was that what these marks were? Had they been burned into her? Why? How? They were so unnatural– and it clearly hadn’t been an accident.

    But she had a feeling that ‘an accident’ would be the answer she’d get if she asked Alain.

    “No!” Mairin whispered to herself, closing her eyes. She couldn’t dwell on things like that, not when she was trying to repair everything between them... including the things she couldn’t remember. Alain clearly wasn’t the person to go to for answers, she’d just have to find someone else...

    She swiftly tugged a tank top on over her head, ready to get out of the bathroom. She regretted the action slightly though, since her tank got a bit wet from her sopping hair. Mairin sighed, grabbing a smaller towel and rubbing it against the ends of her hair to try to dry it somewhat. Mairin wasn’t in the mood to blow dry her hair and be forced to stare at her reflection even more, so she wrapped her hair up in a towel and gathered up her things.

    She let out a sigh as she stepped out of the bathroom, glad to be free of the small room. Now, if she could only be free of her thoughts as well that’d be wonderful...

    “Mairin.”

    “Eep!” Mairin cried, startled as she was pulled from her thoughts as she walked down the hallway– even though that was the very thing she had been wanting. She quickly turned and found Alain walking towards her. “D-don’t scare me like that.”

    “Sorry,” He said, smiling softly. “I just wanted to ask you something.”

    “What’s up?” Mairin asked, shifting her items in her hands.

    He hesitated for a moment. “I... I was just wondering if tomorrow would be a good day...” He began, blue eyes meeting amber. “For the... date.”

    Mairin blinked. “Tomorrow?”

    Alain shifted. “If you don’t want to we–”

    “No, no,” Mairin said swiftly, giving him a small smile. “I- I’m the one that suggested it. Tomorrow would be great.”

    However her stomach twisted, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Alain’s eyes. She wasn’t against the idea... but she knew it wasn’t going to be the same as a normal first date. Even if you disregarded the fact that they were married and she was carrying their child, she still knew that Alain had deep feelings for her. While she... she was still a bit on edge at the idea of going out with him at all.

    She liked Alain– but she just didn’t see him as more than a friend.

    But that was the point of this date, to see if she could find those feelings she had clearly once had. Fear did gnaw at Mairin though, not of the date, but fear towards the idea that her feelings might not change at all. What would she do then? End the marriage she had with Alain? She didn’t want to be in a relationship where she didn’t return the feelings, but how could she take something away from Alain when he had done nothing?

    “Mairin, I know that look,” Alain said, crossing his arms. “You’re overthinking things. If you don’t want to do it tomorrow– or at all for that matter– then we don’t have to.”

    “No, I want to try this,” Mairin said, sitting up straighter. “B-besides, I’ve never been on a date before, from what I can remember... this will be fun.”

    She hoped.

    Alain’s eyes gleamed with excitement at this answer, and once again she felt her insides curl. Even if Alain was acting relaxed and indifferent, she knew that if she backed out now it would hurt him. Mairin’s thoughts turned back to the first day without her memories, when she had acted horrified at waking up next to him.

    How much had that hurt him?

    “Alright then,” Alain said, eyes still lit happily. “Tomorrow.”

    “What are we going to do?” Mairin asked– it was quite clear that he was going to be the one to plan this out.

    Alain grinned. “You’ll see,” He said, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Goodnight, Mairin.”

    Her feelings were still scrambled, not quite sure of what to feel about what was going to take place. “Goodnight?”

    Alain smiled, but said nothing else as he headed towards the bathroom. Mairin turned slightly, watching him continue down the hallway, uncertainty running through her. Once he was out of sight she headed towards her bedroom, where she was greeted happily by Chespie. Mairin’s mind was still wandering off in its own direction as she hugged her starter, and then at last she stumbled into her room.

    Her thoughts refused to settle– jumping from her dreams, to Alain, to the baby in her, and of course to the future laying ahead of her. She couldn’t even mull through her thoughts, each of them racing about her mind before she could even expand on each idea. She let them bounce about in her mind as she put her things away and sat down on her bed– perhaps scattered thoughts would mean scattered dreams tonight.

    Unfortunately Mairin’s hope for a restful night was dashed as she drifted off to sleep– soon finding herself in a familiar dream of Rayquaza’s attacks, the night sky above and the sandy desert below her.


	11. Chapter 11

    The beach and the cold weren’t usually two things Mairin would put together.

    But there were goosebumps on her arms as her dream self wandered down the beach, her bare feet sinking slightly into the wet sand. The sun had retreated behind a blanket of soft purple clouds, the whole sky looking as if it had been covered in a sheet. A wind whipped across the shore, blowing Mairin’s red hair in front of her face as she continued down the beach.

    The cold water rushed up to her meet her feet, covering her ankles before retreating back into the ocean. The water was choppy– not the rough sea of a storm, yet not calm like you’d find on a clear day. Mairin pushed farther down the shore, staring down at the sand as another wave washed over her feet. She reached down as it pulled back, hand surrounding a small object.

    Mairin then looked out at the ocean, a salty scent in the air as she studied the water. It wasn’t blue, it wasn’t clear– it was gray. A soft gray, sharp waves forming as the wind rushed by. It wasn’t the image you’d see on a postcard, but yet there was a tense beauty to the sight. Dream Mairin stared out at the water, her gaze empty.

    She then examined her prize in her hand– a seashell. She turned it over in her hands, trying to get the sand off of it. The shell was pearly-black in color, and with its decent size it probably would have been considered a good shell if it wasn’t chipped at the top.

    Dream Mairin seemed happy with the shell though, even if her expression didn’t change, because she turned around to look at the one standing behind her. Soft blue eyes were watching her closely, Alain standing several paces away. He held a small plastic container in his hand that seemed to be the remains of a takeout box, and he held it out as Mairin slowly made her way back to him.

    She dropped the shell into the container, were it clinged against the other seashells resting inside. Dream Mairin had seemed to have built up quite a collection– seashells of all sizes filling the box. Different shapes and colors all shuffled together. Despite the number of shells she had found, it seemed that today wasn’t a lucky one for finding seashells, because every one in the box was broken or chipped.

    “We’ve been out here for awhile now,” Alain said, his tone quiet and soft. Mairin had turned back towards the water, eyes staring down at the sand as she searched for more shells. “We’ll want to get back inside soon, it’s a bit chilly out there.”

    “Yes,” Mairin replied, tone empty. “The cold isn’t good for the egg.”

    Alain’s gaze shifted slightly, going down to his arm, were a bag was looped across it. Within the green bag was a small blue egg, wrapped up in a small cloth. Alain’s eyes then shifted to a small Pokemon on his shoulder, then to a white Pokemon at his side, and then finally to Mairin once more. She had found several more shells, three sitting in her palm. She studied them for a moment, before throwing one back into the sea. Dream Mairin then once again approached Alain, adding two more shells to the box. The shells rattled against each other as he followed Mairin further down the shoreline, gathering his thoughts. Ruby the Absol was at his side, the Pokemon looking towards the inland with sharp eyes, as if keeping watch.

    “The egg will be fine,” He reassured her. “The professor said that this Pokemon usually nests in cooler caves along the shore. I was worried about  _you_ , Mairin.”

    “Rrrrh,” A soft coo filled the air, and dream Mairin glanced back at Alain. A small Rowlet was sitting contently on his shoulder, the Pokemon preening the feathers on its wing. Mairin weakly blinked at it, then looked at Alain once more.

    “Don’t worry about me,” She said, voice monotone. “It doesn't matter what happens to me.”

    A look of frustration flashed across Alain’s gaze at these words, and as he spoke again there was a rough undertone in his voice, however it remained gentle. “I do worry about you, Mairin, and I do care about you. I love you.”

    Dull amber eyes stared back. “I don’t know why you do,” She looked back out towards the sea. “But I do love you too.”

    And with that she examined the shoreline again, slowly making her way down the beach once more. Sand stuck to her feet, only to be washed away in another wave, and she bent down in search of shells. She didn’t stand up as another wave came, her pants getting wet as it rushed up. The young woman didn’t seemed fazed though, and didn’t rise until she had several shells gathered in her hands.

    Once more she looked over them, throwing a few back into the water, before turning back to Alain again. He watched as several more were dropped into the box, dream Mairin shuffling back into the water before he could say a word. He looked down at her growing collection, and then at her as she continued her search.

    This pattern continued for several more minutes, the only noises coming from Alain’s Rowlet as it groomed itself, and occasionally a nervous grunt from Ruby when a harsh wave came in. The shells continued to be dropped into the box, dream Mairin’s expression remaining distant and empty.

    Alain’s eyes remained solely on Mairin as they made their way down the beach, his blue eyes darting to the ground from time to time. It was during one of these brief glances that Alain caught sight of a larger shell, resting in the sand. It was white in color– and it wasn’t broken or chipped.

    “Mairin,” Alain called, his hands too full to bend down. “How about this shell?”

    He pointed with his foot as she turned, and Mairin slowly approached him, scooping up the shell. She turned the white shell over once, before looking up at Alain. Her eyes seemed to be empty as always, and she let the white shell fall back to the earth as she shook her head.

    “I don’t want that one,” She said, and Alain frowned.

    “Why not? It’s the first perfect shell I’ve seen all day,” Alain said, slightly confused to why she wouldn’t want it since she had a large collection building up.

    Dream Mairin just looked at him, her empty eyes looking almost sorrowful for a moment. She blinked. “I like the shells I have.”

    Alain looked down at the collection of broken shells, and Mairin didn’t seem to even care as his frown deeped, clearly lost in thought. She just waded back into the water, letting a rush of a wave soak her feet once more. She knelt down as it retreated, once again seeking out the shells. Alain gaze furrowed, recalling she had tossed several shells back into the water.

    “...Mairin...” He said uncertainly. “...Are you only gathering the broken shells?”

    She didn’t respond right off, looking out at the ocean.

    “...No one else picks them up,” Mairin said, rising to her feet with fragment of shell in her hand. “So I will.”

    She dropped it into the box, the clinking of it against the other shells sounding almost sad as it echoed across the empty beach. Mairin looked down at her collection, and Alain’s Rowlet ruffled its feathers, a yawn escaping his beak. Mairin ran a finger across the pile of shells, the smooth texture almost soothing, so she pulled her hand back. For a moment a frown appeared on her face, and she shook her head.

    “...Mairin, it’s time for us to go back to the hotel,” Alain said, his voice cracking slightly, as if trying to keep more emotions from slipping in.

    “Okay,” Dream Mairin, voice as empty as ever. She reached out, careful not to look him in the eyes as she took the bag containing her egg from off of his arm. She cradled it in her arms, wanting to touch the smooth shell, but she kept her arms on the outside of the bag. “Let’s go.”

    With his arm now free, Alain reached out for Mairin, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Mairin’s gaze fell to the ground as she was pulled in close to Alain, she hadn’t even noticed her shivering form until now. Alain’s body was warm against her, and she naturally pressed against him as he turned her away from the ocean. She hugged the egg closer, allowing Alain to lead her away from the ocean. They walked in silence, dream Mairin’s gaze remaining as hollow as before, even as Alain bend down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

    “You’re strong, Mairin,” He told her softly.

    Mairin didn’t reply.

 

* * *

    Mairin stared out the window of the car as the the buildings rushed by, a mere blur as they drove. Her hands were laced together nervously, amber eyes remaining fixated on the outside of the car. She could feel Alain’s gaze glancing at her every now and then, but luckily he had to keep his focus on the road.

    However, the silence was quite awkward considering that they were suppose to be on a date.

    “Are you feeling alright?”

    Mairin sat up slightly at the sound of his voice, and she turned away from the window to face Alain. His gaze was focused straight ahead, however his eyes flickered in her direction for a quick moment.

    “H-huh?” She asked, having not quite taken in his question.

    “If you’re not feeling well we can pull over or head back to the lab– at any time,” He replied. “I don’t want to push you.”

    “Oh n-no, I’m fine,” Mairin assured him, which was quite true. She hadn’t thrown up since early this morning, which was quite an accomplishment considering that her stomach usually felt sick several times a day. She seemed to have figure out just what upset her stomach, and had been able to somewhat manage her morning sickness.

    But like everything else in her life, it was just usually unpredictable.

    Her stomach was churning at the moment– but that was from nervousness, not the pregnancy. She shifted uncertainly, watching Alain for a moment, not wanting the car to fall back into silence. Unlike her, Alain didn’t seem to mind the long stretches of quiet, simply embracing them.

    “So, where are we even going?” Mairin asked. The traffic wasn’t as intense as the middle of the city, so she could tell that they were reaching the edges of Lumiose without even taking a good look at their surroundings.

    “You’ll see,” Alain said, a smile on his face. He glanced over his shoulder as he switched lanes. “It’s not too far though. Do you need me to pull over? Are you getting car sick?”

    “Alain, I’m really fine,” Mairin said with a small sigh. “These last few days haven’t been that bad. I think the stress was making everything worse.”

    “So you’re saying you’re not stressed at all right now then?” He asked, eyes gleaming.

    She flushed. “O-of course I am, I just mean–”

    “Mairin, relax, please,” Alain said, looking at her with a gentle smile. “I was just teasing. Of course there is still a lot going on, but take today to unwind a bit. Just... breathe.”

    “But–”

    “No buts,” He said, his gaze returning to the road. “You once again have much more on your plate than what you should be dealing with. I don’t want you to feel like you have any pressure on you, especially today,” He took in a deep breath. “I don’t want you to feel... obligated, or anything. We’re just going to have an easy day, spending time with each other... as friends.”

    “But this is suppose to be a date!” Mairin said.

    “It is,” Alain agreed. “This is a first date for you though– and first dates are to spend time with each other and to get to know each other. We already know each other though, and I know that if this was some overly romantic outing you’d just be uncomfortable the whole time,” He paused for a moment. “I don’t want that, I just want to spend some time with you.”

    Mairin found herself relaxing at his words, a tension she hadn’t even known was there fleeing. This was just some time to be with Alain, something they had done often in her memories. Just a first date, a chance to see if they wanted to take this further.

    Which is why she had suggested this in the first place.

    “That... that sounds nice,” Mairin said softly after some thought. She relaxed in the passenger seat, feeling much calmer than before. Some part of her felt like Alain had been expecting this to go differently, but as always he was taking her into consideration.

    “That’s good,” Alain said, turning on his blinker. “Because we’re nearly there.”

    She looked out the window, and realized that during their conversation that the edges of the city had turned into tree. Her gaze scanned the landscape as Alain turned off of the mainroad, down a narrower, but well maintained road. Her eyes landed on a sign that read  _Nouveau Lake_. She wasn’t too familiar with Kalosian so she had no idea what ‘Nouveau’ meant.

    The forested drive was short, with the road soon opening up to reveal a small peaceful lake. Mairin’s eyes lit up, swiftly scanning the unfamiliar place. A boardwalk ran around the edges of the lake, the areas surrounding it covered in grass. The small field soon melted into the forest, which was mostly made up of oaks and maples, with an occasion pine stretching above the treeline. It was a quaint little place, but for such a nature-filled sight to be right outside the city, Mairin knew it was truly a treasure.

    “It’s beautiful,” Mairin whispered, turning her head to keep her eyes on the lake as Alain parked the car. She wasn’t quite sure what it was about the place, but it just filled her with a pulse of happiness.

    “Nothing big,” Alain said as he unbuckled. “And that combined with the fact that you’re not allowed to catch the Pokemon here makes it so not many people come here, let alone know about the place.”

    “Well, they’re missing out,” Mairin muttered, still somewhat hypnotized by the place. She barely noticed Alain getting out of the car, and once the thought crossed her mind that she should at least unbuckle Alain was already on her side of the car, holding the door open for her.

    She gave him a brief smile to show her thanks, slipping out of the car. As it had been for the last few days, the sky was gray and overcast, draping the whole land in shadow– but yet not a drop of rain had fallen. Mairin was fine with that though, and with the warmth of summer still in the air she could handle the lack of sun. She headed towards the lake without much thought, Alain walking next to her. He had a bag hooked over one arm, and with the sounds of the water from the lake, Mairin was dimly reminded of her dream.

    They didn’t say anything else as they went up on the boardwalk, Mairin not quite sure where she was taking them, but she wasn’t even thinking about that. It just felt right to walk across here, and she didn’t come to a stop until she had lead them out onto one of the many docks that stretches a ways over the water. She came to a stop on the edge of the dock, pausing as she looked out at the lake.

    She was supposed to be here, she knew that, but an emptiness hummed in her head.

    Something else was supposed to happen.

    “...Any reason why you chose this dock, out of the rest?” Alain asked softly, and she glanced at him. He had a distant look in his blue eyes, gaze unreadable. She frowned, but saw some of the reasoning behind his question– they had passed several other docks on the way to this particular one– but yet she had gone out of her way to be at this one.

    “I... I don’t know...” Mairin whispered, heart twisting. “I... I just came here,” She glanced at him. “I feel like something is supposed to happen.”

    Alain’s eyes drifted towards the ground. “Hmm.”

    “Alain?”

    He met her gaze again. “It seems that even without your memories you do remember somethings. This dock... this is the one we always come to everytime we come to this lake. I suppose you came here because it felt familiar.”

    “Oh,” Mairin said, taking this in. “What happened here?”

    She could see the hesitation in his gaze, and her gut tightened. Was he going to keep something from her again? “We’ve been here many times,” He said slowly, and he went quiet, then after a moment he smiled. “One time you pushed me into the lake.”

    “I did?” Mairin said– the action both sounding a lot like her, but yet at the same time something that she would never do.

    “It was in the springtime too, so the lake water was freezing,” He said, grinning.

    “I’m– um– sorry?” Mairin said uncertainly, not sure if she should apologize or laugh. Apparently it was the latter, because Alain started chuckling.

    “Don’t start that again– you wouldn’t stop apologizing when it happened. Besides, I deserved it,” Alain said, setting down the bag at his feet, before stretching out the arm that had been carrying it. “No need to concern ourselves over the past though, we have plenty to look forward to.”

    “Yeah,” Mairin said, a smile on her face as her hand went to her stomach. She had a doctor appointment in a few days, their first one for the baby. They’d finally be able to learn more about the child growing inside of her, figure out just how far along she was, and when she would be due.

    The thought was both exciting and daunting.

    “What do you think they’ll look like?” Alain asked.

     _“She_ will look adorable,” Mairin said, sitting up a bit straighter.

    “And just what will you do if they end up being a boy?” Alain asked, crossing his arms with a playful smirk.

    “That won’t happen, because the baby is going to be a girl,” Mairin said firmly. “Don’t ask me how I know, I just do.”

    “Very well then,” Alain said. “She’s going to be a girl, perhaps taking after her sassy mother,” His eyes met hers. “A little redhead baby would be cute.”

    She rolled her eyes. “If anything she’ll have your hair, and my eyes.”

    “Are you a seer now or something?” Alain asked with a raised eyebrow.

    “No, it’s genetics,” She replied. “Though hair genes are complicated, red is simply not that common. And when it comes to eyes, your blue will be recessive to my–”

    She paused mid sentence, tensing up.

    “...Mairin?”

    “Where are earth did that come from?” Mairin asked softly, taking a step back. She wasn’t supposed to know anything about genetics. But yet as she thought on it burst of information flared into her mind, facts and information she didn’t know she had. She closed her eyes, letting out a whimper. Alain frowned, thinking.

    “You and Max were working on some genetic research for the last few months before... the amnesia,” Alain tilted his head. “So I guess that stuck with you as well...” He scratched his head. “I guess breaking routine by leaving the lab helped? You know, by thinking about other things... I guess?”

    “...I don’t like it,” Mairin whispered, arms wrapping around herself. “I know things I shouldn’t know.”

    “But you are supposed to,” Alain said.

    She shook her head. “No! It’s like... it feels like it was just planted in there. Just not natural.”

    His gaze softened. “Hey, we’re not here to worry about things,” He leaned down, grabbing the bag he had brought. “Let’s go on the grass.”

    He didn’t wait for a reply of any kind, simply grabbing her wrist and leading her off of the dock. She allowed him to, using the moment to shove any unsettling thoughts to the back of her mind. She let the sound of the lake fill her ears, trying to let it calm herself as they stepped off the boardwalk.

    They didn’t go far from the shore of the lake, Alain pulling a blanket out of the bag for them to sit on. She could feel the grass sinking below them as they sat, even through the blanket. She crossed her legs, looking up at the overcast sky, not quite sure what she should even be thinking right now.

    “I have Tamato berries,” Alain offered uncertainly, and she glanced at him to see he had a small container of the bright red fruit. “If you’re still in the mood for them.”

    She accepted the container with a small smile, popping it open and taking one of the spicy berries out. She still didn’t know what was so appealing about the taste, all of her memories only held disgust for the spicy flavor, but yet she bit into it without complaint.

    “It’s weird,” Mairin muttered, reaching for another one. “I don’t think they taste good at all, but still I want them.”

    Their conversation went from there– simple chatter with no clear direction. It wasn’t anything special, but with the past eight days being nothing but tension, it was quite welcoming. All of the nervousness that Mairin had felt on the way here was gone.

    She didn’t realize just how much she needed this.

    “It’s pretty quiet today,” Alain said with a frown. “Usually there’s more wild Pokemon around,” He glanced at her. “We can let out some of ours if you want.”

    Mairin shifted. “Actually... I kinda forgot to bring any Pokeballs...”

    “Ruby noticed that,” Alain said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a red sphere. “She came up to me with her Pokeball before we left,” He handed her the Pokeball, and Mairin stared down at it. Alain reached into his pocket, pulling out one of his own Pokeballs. “You should have at least one with you at all times, just to be safe.”

    “I really am fine, Alain,” Mairin said, expanding Ruby’s Pokeball. The Absol came out with a bright burst of white light, stretching out as she was released. The Pokemon smiled at Mairin, before approaching Alain and rubbing her head against his arm. She then trotted to Mairin’s side, curling up next to her on the blanket.

    Alain expanded his own Pokeball, holding it up and releasing the creature out onto the grass. Mairin watched the Pokemon materialize, not sure which of Alain’s team would be there. But much to her surprise the Pokemon wasn’t one that she knew to be on his team. The bird Pokemon flared open its wings, before tugging a leafy hood over its face. It took Mairin a moment to recognize just what Pokemon it was.

    “You haven’t met Decidueye yet, have you?” Alain asked with a small smile. “He’s the newest member of my team, I got him around the time you got Poppy’s egg.”

    Ruby let out a greeting to the Decidueye, who gave a nod in response. However, Mairin just stared at the Pokemon, feeling a bit tense.

    In her dream last night, Alain had a Rowlet with him– at the same time there had been an egg that was clearly Poppy’s. She gulped slightly, shifting, wondering just what that meant. Either this was another thing her mind had known without remembering...

    Or perhaps the dream had been real.

    “Where did we get them, anyways?” Mairin asked, and Alain must have heard the uncertainty in her tone, because he gave her a concerned glance.

    “...Alola. We went there about three years back,” Alain said slowly.

    Alola. A place known for vacationing and beaches– and her dream had been on a beach. There was no way that this was just random pieces of information her mind had thrown into a dream by chance. A dream that felt so real. A dream she couldn’t control– like it had its own set story to tell.

    “Mairin, are you okay?” Alain asked, and he inched closer towards her on the blanket. “You look pale.”

    She gave him a nervous smile. “I’m fine, I just...”

    Should she tell him about her dreams? If anyone could tell her if they were real or not it would be Alain. But yet at the same time... he had been keeping stuff from her. She didn’t want to ask only for him to lie again. Besides, would it be wrong to have secrets of her own?

    “You just...?” He prompted.

    She shook her head. “Sorry– er– your Decidueye just felt like another familiar thing. Like I said earlier it just feels a bit weird, but I’m sure I’ll get use to it.”

    To her relief he bought the lie, nodding as he relaxed. However she couldn’t do the same, pondering over the rest of her dreams. If the one at the beach was real... then were all of them? But that didn’t make sense... because she knew that she couldn’t fly– and she most definitely was flying in the dreams with Rayquaza...

    “Mairin, I got you a gift.”

    She was pulled from her thoughts, blinking as she looked towards Alain. He was reaching into the bag once more, and Ruby had raised her head curiously. Decidueye was still in the grass, touching a flower with the tip of his wing.

    “Oh!” Mairin said, her mind taking a moment to catch up with the present. “Alain, you didn’t–”

    He smiled, pulling out a three ringed binder. “Technically, you’re the one that made it. I just thought you’d like to look over it,” He held out the thick binder towards her, and she could see that it held quite a few pages. “It might help you.”

    She took the binder, pulling it into her lap. She smiled as she noticed her hand writing on the front, just the simple words ‘The Lab’. She curiously opened the first page, and that’s when she knew what it was right away.

    “A scrapbook,” Mairin said, her smile growing.

    The first page showed Professor Sycamore and Garchomp waving to the camera, along with a small description of when it was taken. She flipped the page, and found that the first few pages were dedicated to each member of the lab. There was Sophie with a Glaceon, Cosette with some young starter Pokemon, Max with Bonnie planting a kiss on his cheek. She chuckled at that one, then her eyes shifted towards a picture with her and Alain.

    Both of them were smiling, but her eyes looked like glass– like they could shatter at any moment. She was pressed up against Alain, who had an arm wrapped around her.

    She recognized her handwriting along the side of the pages, and even a few of her drawings along the edges. Her past self had clearly spent a lot of time on each page, each picture having a hand drawn border done with extreme detail. Despite this there seemed to be no order to the designs, some borders done in pen, others in colored pencil, sometimes switched even mid drawing. As if she had just grabbed the nearest thing to write with.

    She flipped forward in the scrapbook, and it was quite clear that time had past since the earlier pages. Some pages had long descriptions, others only had a small label next to each picture. She wanted to read each one, but she knew there would be time to exam this later. She carefully slid the binder shut, before hugging it to herself as she looked up at Alain.

    “Thank you,” Mairin said softly– at last having something that could give her some hint to what could have happened.

    “Of course,” Alain said, his gaze turned out towards the lake.

    She peered down at the cover, where she noticed a small date scribbled in the corner. She had to do a bit of math in her head, separating the current year from the year of her memories, but decided the date was from about three years ago.

    She set the scrapbook in her lap, then reached out to pet Ruby. The Absol let out a content purr as Mairin ran her hand over her neck. Her white fur was silky to the touch, the Pokemon really a beautiful creature. It was amazing how Ruby could go from serious to cuddly just with the touch of her hands. Ruby rolled over, and Mairin couldn’t help but grin.

    However, before Mairin could go to rub the Absol’s belly, the dark type suddenly tensed up. Her crimson eyes snapped up, her demeanor completely changing. She quickly rolled to her feet, Ruby’s eyes locked on the dark sky. An intense aura poured from the Absol, a low growl echoing from her.

    Alain suddenly sat straight up. “We need to go.”

    “Wha–”

    Alain was already on his feet. His gaze locked on the Absol. “...She always gets this way before something happens– and her predictions are never wrong. I don’t know if it’s something big or small, but we shouldn’t stay here.”

    Mairin stared at the Absol, who seemed to be in her own world. A low growl was still pouring from her throat, red eyes fixated on the sky. Mairin knew that Absols were known for being able to sense disasters, and so she decided it would be best to trust Alain’s words. She rose to her feet as Alain recalled his Decidueye without a word, and she wondered if she should do the same for Ruby.

    The Absol remained in the same position as Alain hastily gathered their things, a harsh energy pouring out from her, one that refused to let Mairin relax. She shakily held out Ruby’s Pokeball, recalling her with a burst of red light. The aura died down as the dark type was returned to the Pokeball, and she gave an uncertain glance at Alain.

    “I’m sorry,” He muttered as they headed back towards the car. “I didn’t want it to end on a note like that.”

    Mairin shook her head. “It’s fine, that wasn’t your fault,” She gave him a small smile. “I really enjoyed myself, it was nice to just have a chance to relax,” She hesitated for a moment, clutching the scrapbook close to her chest. “W-we should do it again.”

    Alain glanced at her, looking slightly surprised at these words. She didn’t make eye contact, leaving the offer for a second date open for him.

    Alain smiled, unlocking the car and holding the door open for her. “That sounds wonderful.”

    She returned the smile, though it was a bit uncertain compared to his, and climbed into the car. As Alain shut the door she set her scrapbook and Pokeball into her lab, glancing out at the lake one last time. Her eyes scanned the water, drifting up to the tree line, and finally up towards the sky.

    The gray clouds went on as far as she could see, unchanging as they had been for the last few days. She watched them for a moment, slowly turning and shifting in the unseen wind. She ran one hand down her arm, trancing the twisting white marks, waiting as Alain stuck their blanket and bag in the backseat, before shutting the door.

    And for the briefest moment, Mairin could have sworn she saw a glow of green light dancing in the clouds.

    “Agh!” She cried, a sharp burst of pain flaring across her head. Her vision flared black, a wave of dizziness crashing over her–

    And then as quickly as it came, it was gone. The headache faded all at once, her vision slowly returning as the pain eased away. Mairin blinked rapidly, slowly removing a hand she had suddenly clamped to her head in the pain. She trembled as she glanced around, trying to make sense of what had happened. The only thing that remained was the dizzy spell, her world tilting slightly.

    She glanced up at the clouds– only gray.

    The front door opened, Alain climbing into the driver’s seat. He glanced over at her, a deeper frown covering his face. “Mairin, what’s wrong?”

    He could clearly see the worry on her face, reading her like an open book. She swayed for a moment, before leaning against the window. “N-not feeling well,” She muttered, and it wasn’t too hard to look sick. “Dizzy...”

    “Let’s get you back to the lab,” Alain said gently, his sharp blue eyes scanning the area around them. Mairin didn’t reply, simply closing her eyes as Alain drove away.


	12. Chapter 12

    “How does anyone eat this?” Mairin muttered, eying the mass of spinach leaves on her fork with a scrunched up nose. “What do I look like, a Miltank?”

    While Mairin may have not been the best when she was younger, she did understand the importance of having good food in her diet. But that didn’t mean that she’d eat whatever was suppose to be ‘healthy’. Sure, she’d have some carrots with her dinner or lettuce on her sandwich.

    But salad was not a main course!

    Especially when it was made mostly of bitter spinach.

    But  _no_ , the stupid doctor had to make his stupid recommendations on what she should be eating, and what would be best for the baby. So of course Alain had rallied the whole lab against her, and suddenly the meals she was being offered were much different from what she wanted. And it wasn’t like she could just make her own food– her morning sickness combined with her poor cooking skills made it so she was never in the kitchen for long.

    And since she had her amnesia, she had no idea where her current candy stashes even were!

    “Chespie,” Mairin groaned, shoving her tray of salad away and leaning back on her bed. “Can you get me my phone? I’m ordering a pizza!”

    “Naught,” Chespie rumbled, giving her a disapproving glare. She glared right back at the giant Pokemon, who was making no effort to grab her phone– which was in her purse on the other side of the room. She sighed, shifting to gaze towards Ruby, who was positioned like a guard at the foot of her bed.

    The Absol was giving her a meaningful look, and finally Mairin sighed, and shoved another mouthful of the salad into her mouth.

    Perhaps the worst part was that the greens didn’t trigger her morning sickness in anyway, meaning that she didn’t even have that excuse not to eat it. There were vitamin supplements she could be taking that could be giving her the same nutrition as this salad without the horrible taste– but everyone else agreed that having it naturally in her diet was better!

    Deep down Mairin did agree as well– but she wanted something else besides salad. And she had already eaten the Tamato berries that had been put on top, meaning there was nothing else even remotely edible on her plate. She couldn’t even gripe about it to everyone else, because they were eating dinner at the table, and the mere smell of the meatloaf had made her feel dizzy. So instead she was eating up in her room with her Pokemon.

    Okay, maybe she was being a bit dramatic, but she was going to demand ice cream after this.

    “They better not make me do this the whole pregnancy,” Mairin muttered, shifting her salad about with her fork in hopes of finding more berries. “I won’t last that long.”

    Ruby laid her head on the bed, giving her a reassuring smile. Mairin returned it, before taking another bite. She had been to the doctors three days before, which had got much smoother than her visit to the doctor about her amnesia. Of course it had taken place at an entirely different office with different people, which was very welcomed.

    The appointment had been very brief, with mostly a kind nurse explaining to her what to expect in the following months, the prospect having been both exciting and daunting. In less than a year she’d be holding a child in her arms– her own baby.

    They had learned that she was a month into the pregnancy– which had been pretty surprising to both her and Alain. Seeing how sick she had been, one would have thought that it would have been the same the days before her amnesia had hit. But according to Alain she had only felt under the weather the night before it had hit– nothing more.

    But she was a month along– and according to the book that Sophie had lent her, this also meant that the baby’s heart had started beating– even if it would be a little longer before it’d be detectable from an ultrasound. Mairin didn’t care however, glad that with everything going in her life that she had something that was simply good news.

    Of course she was still dealing with the nightmares– which had shifted last night back to the ones of her sleepwalking in the desert. She hadn’t had that one since her first night with her amnesia, and since she was now more familiar with Ruby it was still a bit startling to have her dream self be so cold and bitter to the Pokemon, ordering Bébé to attack the Absol everytime she approached.

    Bébé...

    Mairin pushed her half eaten salad to the side, sliding off the bed with a frown. She approached her dresser, grabbing her Pokeballs and isolating one from the rest. She stared down at Bébé’s empty Pokeball in thought, biting her bottom lip. She knew that the fairy type had always been fond of the greenhouse, but still...

    In her twelve days of her amnesia, she hadn’t seen the Pokemon once.

    The first few days the thought had been easier to brush aside, and in the more recent ones she had been dealing with so much emotional and physical stress that her mind had simply been too panicked to think clearly on every thought in her mind. But these last few days... they had been calmer. She had been more accepting of the situation. She was thinking things through.

    And she knew that something was wasn’t right.

    Keeping Bébé’s Pokeball in one hand she grabbed the scrapbook that Alain had given her off of the dresser as well, returning to the bed. She placed the Pokeball on the pillow as she sat, ignoring the gazes from her other Pokemon, and opened the scrapbook. She had spent the last few days looking over it, admiring the pictures inside and reading the labels she had put on the photos. Some she skimmed over, the like ones with her is a certain white dress, and focused on other less intimidating ones. Like the section with nothing but pictures of her Pokemon.

    Mairin was flipping to the green pages– her past self had organized the scrapbook to be in rainbow order, the colors shifting through different shades, starting from light and continuing down towards darker hues. The section with all of her Pokemon were all in the lighter green section, and there was something she wanted to see. She paused as she came to the first few photos of Chespie, and she careful began to examine each photo.

    She couldn’t help but notice that each picture of Chespie was angled so you couldn’t see the missing spike on his back.

    Mairin continued combing through each page, the ones of Chespie shifting over to ones of Kiara, a majority of the photos showing the Pyroar napping. Sometimes other Pokemon could be seen in the background, but even that didn’t show what Mairin was searching for. The next photos were of Ruby, the Pokemon usually standing right next to Mairin– the only exception was the photo of the Absol showing off her mega stone, apparently from when she first got it.

    Next up was Luke– whom Mairin seemed to have met at some sort of facility. The Riolu had a determined look in his eyes, which eventually shifted to pride in the photos showing him as a Lucario. But still, none of the pictures satisfied Mairin. She closed her eyes, before finally reaching the photos of Poppy– possibly the longest section yet. All were of the Popplio in every position possible, the young water type simply being its happy self.

    Mairin nervously turned the pages– but the section of her Pokemon ended there.

    Bébé was nowhere to be seen. Even in the background.

    What was going on?

    Mairin swiftly began pouring through the rest of the scrapbook, searching for some sign of the yellow Floette– or Florges– whatever she was now. Her eyes swiftly scanned each page, briefly looking at each photo before the page was turned. Her fingers dug into the blanket as she searched, breathing slightly strained. Ruby approached her, but Mairin didn’t even glanced at the dark type.

    She wanted to know what had happened to one of her oldest Pokemon.

    It was as Mairin was searching for Bébé that she noticed something else about the scrapbook– every now and then she came across a page that was off in color. It was a small detail, but since every other page shifted through the hues so flawlessly it was a bit surprising to come across a section that seemed to almost jump ahead, the color a bit darker than what she had been expecting. At first she didn’t pay much attention to it– but then she came across another section just like it. She paused at this, peering at the content of the page that featured the sudden shift.

    It wasn’t just the colors that jumped, but what was on the pages too.

    As if another page was supposed to be there.

    Perhaps one time she could skip over with no problem, but the fact that she came across five sections like this made her head feel a bit heavy. It wasn’t like a page had fallen out, but rather like someone had purposely gone through and had taken out sections of the scrapbook. And while the idea would normally seem a bit strange, she knew just who would do something like that.

    Mairin slammed the book shut, heart thumping angrily. It had seemed like such a thoughtful gift, finally Alain letting her see some of the past he had been keeping from her.

    But  _no_. He was still keeping things from her. Plucking them out as if it wasn’t something she should know– something about her own life!

    And still not one hint of Bébé anywhere in the scrapbook. Mairin grabbed Bébé’s Pokeball, pushing herself to her feet. She hadn’t pressed the fact that things were being hidden from her, not wanting to disturb the peace that had settled into the lab, but honestly she’d had enough. She wasn’t a child. She wasn’t stupid. She had a right to know about her own life– and no one had a right to hide it from her!

    She wanted answers.

    “Stay here,” Mairin snapped at Ruby, who had followed her to the door. The Absol paused, and Mairin rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I know you’ve been nothing but nice to me, but I have a feeling that you’d just take Alain’s side. I want answers for once, so you can stay here.”

    She realized that perhaps she had been a bit rude to the Pokemon as she snapped her bedroom door shut, but the frustration she had been keeping buried was finally worming its way to the surface. Mairin didn’t even bother to keep a small stomp from her steps as she made her way to the stairs. She stormed down them, stumbling slightly on the last few steps, but she managed to regain her balance.

    She closed her eyes, before heading into the kitchen.

    “Mairin,” Professor Sycamore said, smiling as she came in, though he looked slightly startled at her expression. “Is everything okay?”

    They were all sitting around the table, one spot empty where she usually sat, and she glanced away as everyone raised their gaze to look at her. The scent from their dinner made her stomach twist, but she forced herself to ignore that. She hesitated for a moment, before fixing her glare onto Alain.

    “I’m sick of this,” She snapped, a growl in her voice. She saw the looks of concern flash over each of their faces, but she kept her amber eyes locked on Alain’s blue ones.

    “Of what?” He asked calmly, turning to face her.

    “Of you keeping things from me!” Mairin snarled. “All of you! I have a right to know about my own life– and just keep pushing it away like it doesn’t matter.”

    Alain’s gaze slide down to the table, and he sighed. “I believe we have other things to worry about, Mairin, why don’t we just put this aside–”

    “No!” Mairin snarled, not quite sure of what to make of the sudden surge of anger, but she let it drive her. “We are not putting anything aside! I’m– I’m not some kid! I can handle it! It’s not your choice! You don’t get to decide what I get to know!”

    Alain’s eyes met hers for a brief second, before once more sliding away. “Mairin. Calm down.”

    “I’m not going to calm down!” Mairin shouted. “Not when you’re petty enough to remove pages from the freaking scrapbook,” He looked startled. “And yes, I noticed! I actually thought that you were trying to be nice, but that was just an attempt to placate me, wasn’t it? To get me to stop asking questions!”

    He closed his eyes, and the other members of the lab shifted uncomfortably as the argument grew. Originally she had come down here to demand answers from all of them, but it seemed that her buried anger had decided to take the lead.

    “Mairin, please sit down,” Professor Sycamore said in a tone clearly meant to lessen the tension. “I understand why you’re upset, so please sit down and tell us what exactly what you want to know.”

    Mairin didn’t sit down, but she did close her eyes, taking in several deep breaths to calm herself. She was still angry when she opened them again, but her voice was much more controlled as she set Bébé’s Pokeball onto the dining room table.

    “I want to know where Bébé is,” Mairin said in a low tone. “She’s not in her Pokeball, she’s not in the lab, and she’s not in any photos in the scrapbook. Where is she?”

    Mairin felt the tension crawl back into the room– but this time it wasn’t from her. The other members of the lab stiffened, and Mairin was sure they were all going to Clamperl up, but slowly everyone’s gaze shifted from her to Alain. Professor Sycamore looked concerned, the girls startled, and Max was glaring at him.

    “Alain...” Professor Sycamore began uncertainly. “You didn’t tell her?”

    “...No,” Alain said after a moment, taking a bite of his food, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. The professor pulled back slightly, while Max’s hands curled into fists.

    “You said you would!” Max shouted. “And you kept it from her? What– did you think she wouldn’t notice?!”

    Alain glared at Max. “That’s none of your concern.”

    “Alain...” Professor Sycamore began.

    “She was happy!” Alain snapped, fork clattering to the table. “Don’t you get it? Mairin was happy! How on earth could you expect me to tell her?!”

    “T-tell me what?” Mairin asked, a nervous edge slipping into her tone. Her eyes shifted between the lab members, all of whom couldn’t meet her eyes. Her voice cracked slightly. “Wh-what are you keeping from me?” Her eyes locked on Alain. “What happened to Bébé?”

    Alain’s eyes met hers, and Mairin couldn’t help but pull back as she noticed a cold gleam in his gaze. He stood up, his whole persona seemingly shifting in moments. His expression hardened, and with the height he had over her he looked even more intimidating. Alain walked towards her, his glare locked on her.

    “Fine,” He snapped, his tone sharp. “You want me to be straight with you? You want the truth?”

    She naturally took a step back, but she gulped and forced herself not to recoil from his coldness. “Yes– I am sick of the lies.”

    He continued walking towards her, and with the silence that had settled into the kitchen his footsteps echoed in her ears. She stumbled back, his blue eyes boring into her with a harshness she hadn’t seen since the fight. She could see the frustration in his gaze.

    “I knew what I was doing, Mairin,” He growled. “Was it too much for you to just trust me? I was just trying to let you be happy.”

    She closed her eyes, forcing herself to stop backing away. “I could never be happy being left in the dark.” His footsteps came to a stop, but still she kept her eyes close. “This is my life, and you don’t control it. I understand that you want to be there for me, but these lies only hurt.”

    She opened her eyes, and found herself staring at Alain’s chest. She couldn’t bring herself to look up just yet, simply watching his strained breathing. Under his shirt she could see a small bump– where she knew the necklace with the wedding rings were. She let this fact calm herself, because no matter what, Alain did care about her. He clearly thought that what he was doing was right, even if it frustrated her to no end. She then raised her head, meeting his gaze. His icy blue eyes stared down at her– frustrated, calculating, and the smallest hint of panic. She tried to let her anger slip away, simply wanting the truth.

    His expression hardened, and then he said, voice as cold as his eyes:

    “Bébé is dead.”


	13. Chapter 13

    “Bébé is dead.”

    The words echoed in her ears, Mairin recoiling as they reached her. Disbelief filled her mind at this news, and she couldn’t help but stumble back a step. Alain watched her, eyes still hard as she braced herself against the kitchen counter, trying to understand just what she had been told. Those still sitting around the table were saying something, but their meaning was drowned out by the ringing in her ears.

    “N-no,” Mairin whispered. “She– she’s not–”

    There was a tremble in her whole body, heart feeling heavy. She stared up at Alain, as if somehow he’d take back the words. But yet there was a cruel reality as she took in what he had said. How Bébé hadn’t appeared in any of the pictures, the strange reactions her Pokemon gave when she held the empty Pokeball. And unlike so many things Alain had said to her, his words now rang true.

    Dead. The first Pokemon she had ever captured was dead.

    “She can’t be...” Mairin whispered, the room starting to spin. Her throat closed up on herself, choking on her own questions. What had happened Bébé? When? How?

    Why?

    Her arms wrapped around herself, clinging in search of comfort as she tried to take in these words. She blinked, tears just beginning to enter her eyes. They stung as they formed, slowly falling down her face as she tried to comprehend the exact weight of what she had been told. She didn’t cry, no sobs escaped her, just tears streaming down her face.

    “Mairin...” Came Sophie’s gentle voice, and Mairin jerked her head up to see the dark haired woman approaching.

    Alain didn’t say a word, eyes distant as he stared at the floor. You could see the conflict in his gaze, the sorrow and the frustration. His hands curled into fists, and he seemed to be unable to look at her.

    “N-no,” Mairin whispered, shaking her head. She stumbled away from the counter, away from Sophie and Alain. She knew what they were going to say, that they were sorry and that it’d be okay. She didn’t want to hear that, she didn’t want to hear any of it. “I– I w-want to be alone–”

    She rushed towards the door, stomach twisting as she ran. She felt like it was the first day of her amnesia all over again, just confusion and sorrow being thrusted onto her. Her vision blurred as she stumbled through the hallways. She pressed passed the stairs, not sure of where she was headed, but a bitter sorrow was building up in her.

    Bébé was dead.

    They had known, and they hadn’t said a word. They had kept a secret about one of her oldest companions, hidden it away as if she didn’t have a right to know. But even the pain from that was nothing in compared to the horrible truth. Dead.  _Dead._  She didn’t even know what to make of the word, how to even begin comprehending the news. This wasn’t a distant relative or an older neighbor. This wasn’t someone she had never met.

    There was a personal sting, and yet a lack of understanding. Dead... Bébé was dead. Gone, torn from this world...

    She’d never see her again.

    Mairin found herself in the greenhouse as she came to a stop, only able to make out her location through her tears from the light coming in from above. She blinked, the light dimmed from the clouds that had been lingering in the sky for days now. Her shaky hands went to her eyes, slowly wiping away the tears that had built up, and she stood there, panting.

    Pokemon were peering out at her as she stood there, many of them unfamiliar to her. But yet with the concern chirps and calls they were letting out as they saw her shake, she had a feeling that they knew her. A Pidgey swooped down and landed in front of her, tilting its head. She looked away, heart burning with sorrow and anger.

    What had happened? How had Bébé died? Sickness? A horrible accident? Something worse? She was a youthful Pokemon, there was no way age had claimed her. Mairin wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes as she dug through her mind. Something– anything! She couldn’t stand this emptiness anymore, she wanted her memories back, she wanted to know what happened!

    What had taken her friend from her?!

    All her mind was pulling up was the dreams of Bébé and Ruby battling in the desert, the Floette having been watching over her as she had slept walked.

    She thought of the little yellow flowered Floette, while distant and mischievous, she had always been loyal. She had always looked after the injured Pokemon that had been brought to the lab, healing them with Wish and quietly trying to calm them. She had always been so motherly, simply a steady and gentle figure.

    The memories she did have filled her mind, and Mairin felt her hands rising to cover her head. Bébé was gone– dead. Again she pressed her mind, trying to draw on anything about the little fairy type.

    All she got was an overwhelming wave of guilt.

    Mairin let out a gasp, the sudden weight bearing down at her all at once. Her amber eyes widened, her mind not even knowing how to comprehend the emotional burden that had crashed into her. The guilt welled up, squeezing her heart in its painful gasp. She didn’t even notice the Pokemon gathering around her, and she fell to her knees. Her stomach twisted, heart aching, world spinning around her.

     _Your fault._  The guilt told her, sweat slowly forming over her.  _This is your fault._

    She didn’t understand, and a bitter taste began to build up in her mouth. She leaned forward, limbs feeling heavy as she emptied her stomach. The horrid taste lined her mouth, head pounding as she tried to understand just what she was feeling. The guilt was horrible, taking over every thought in her mind. It felt foreign, intrusive.

    But some of the guilt did resonate with her– because it had been twelve days since she had lost her memories. For twelve whole days she had pushed the thought of Bébé aside as if it were nothing, showing no concern when she had no idea where one of her Pokemon were. Perhaps Alain hadn’t told her, but she had made no effort herself until now to find out more about Bébé even though she knew that she wasn’t in her Pokeball.

    Bébé was gone forever, and she had been acting like nothing was even wrong.

    It was at this moment the true tears came, not the tears of confusion and shock– but true painful sobs escaping her. Her chest ached with the guilt and sorrow, and the tears came rushing out from her. Mairin’s eyes were pressed shut, but they did nothing to halt the burning tears running down her face. Her shoulders trembled as she hugged herself, her cries echoing through the greenhouse.

    The Pokemon didn’t approach her, merely letting out concerned calls. She didn’t even noticed them, struggling to take in a breath through her sobs.

    It was when she took in a ragged breath that her attention was drawn to what was going on around her. Her head snapped up as she heard footsteps going through the lab, her name being softly called. All at once her sobs fell silent, Mairin’s chest aching as she struggled to keep them in. She wasn’t quite sure who was looking for her– but she wanted to be alone.

    She wanted to mourn Bébé alone.

    Mairin struggled to her feet, stumbling towards the far exit of the greenhouse, that lead to the back on the lab. The Pokemon scattered as she made her away across the greenhouse, all them watching her uncertainly as she yanked the door open. She quickly shut the door behind her, tears leaking from her eyes as she tried to keep them back. She pressed through the hallway, wishing that they’d just leave her alone.

    Was that too hard to understand?

    She passed by the storage rooms the back of the lab held, not sure of where she was trying to go. The place was dim, a few of the lights flickering as if they were about to go out. She wouldn’t be surprised, they didn’t come back here that often. Despite this, Mairin didn’t question why the lights were already on as she leaned against the wall, once again letting the tears fall.

    She felt so sick, and it wasn’t from her morning sickness. Her sorrow was too strong for her previous anger to be driven to the surface once more, but she was still bitter. How could Alain keep this from her? How could he let her sit in the dark when someone very important to her was gone? He was suppose to be her husband– but he had done nothing but lie. Just as she was getting settled in this strange world, beginning to think she could form a new life here, he revealed just how much he had been keeping from her.

    It was like a wound was just starting to heal, and then he had stabbed her.

    She pushed away from the wall, not wanting to be lingering in the hallway where just anywhere could find her. She stumbled down a bit further, eyes scanning the doors and closets in search of somewhere to let herself sink into the sorrow.

    A door with a keypad lock caught her eye. Compared to the rest of the old hallway, this feature stood out, clearly new compared to the rest of the place. She reached out, tugging on it, but it was of course locked. She hesitated, but didn’t even let herself think as she reached out. Her finger flew across the pad, hitting four of the numbers before it flashed green– unlocking.

    She had no time to be surprised at the fact she knew the code, she simply jerked the door open, quickly slipping in without glancing at the room, focused on shutting the door as quietly as she could. As soon as it clicked shut she let out a small sigh of relief, leaning her aching head against the cool metal door. She could hear her breathing, surprisingly low and rough, as if filling the room.

    Sweat lined her skin, this small room very warm compared to the hallway she had been in moments before. She leaned against the door, savoring its coolness as she tried to control her breathing. But no matter how slowly she tried to make herself breathe, its sound seemed to fill the whole room, stressed and ragged. She opened her eyes, holding her breath as more tears fell down her face.

    And that’s when she realized the heavy breathing wasn’t her own.

    Mairin’s eyes widened, and she whipped around, taking in the rest of the room. Like most of the storage rooms the floors and walls were made of cement, cool air pouring in from a vent. A bare light bulb hung from the ceiling, either off or burnt out, but yet still the room was lit. In the corner there was a pile of pillows and blankets tangled up, resembling a birds nest. There were claw marks on the wall, and ashes on the floor.

    But it was the creature laying on top of the blankets that captured the attention– whose tail flame filled the room with a dim light and the sweltering heat. His red scales rattled as he stared at her, silver eyes filled with shock and anger. Mairin’s heart started thumping loudly as she realized she had just walked into the same room as Alex.

    The Charmeleon was clearly just as startled as she was– and perhaps that was the only reason he hadn’t struck yet. His claws had dug into the blankets he was on, his breathing still echoing through the room. Mairin pushed herself against the door, her memories of the last time she had seen Alex rising in her mind. Her hand shakily reached for the handle, hoping to get out of here before his anger took full control.

    She pulled on the handle– but the door didn’t open. Her eyes widened further, twisting to look down at the locked door. She pulled harder, as if hoping it’d open again, but it held firm. Her stomach twisted as she realized that there was no keypad on this side of the door, meaning she had just locked herself in here.

    “Oh Yveltal...” She whispered, throat going dry. The scar marks on her side of where Alex had attacked began to tingle. All she knew of the lizard was her brief encounter from nearly a week before, but every part of her mind screamed danger.

    Alex’s eyes began to gleam dangerously as his surprise ebbed away, a raw hatred taking its place. He bore his fangs, a growl rattling his throat as he pushed himself to his feet. His tail flicked side to side, sending shadows dancing across the room. His underbelly was a dull gray, and several spikes jutted from out of his back. He stepped out the nest of blankets, claws clicking against the cement.

     _“You two did use to get along…”_  Bonnie’s words echoed in Mairin’s mind, and she gulped.

    “A-alex...” Her voice cracked, feeling sore from her crying. “C-calm down...”

    This was clearly the wrong thing to say, anger flashing across his features, the growl turning into a snarl. Her mind screamed at her to run– and she responded at once. Alex rushed at her, and she threw herself to the side, bolting to the corner of the room. She heard him slam against the door, and she quickly spun around. A dark energy was forming around his talons, his Shadow Claw curling into sharp points.

    A high pitched call escaped his throat, and he rushed at her, the leather strip around his neck swinging side to side as he charged. He seemed to be consumed in his anger, attacking almost blindly– meaning that would be her only advantage. She ran to the center of the room was quickly as she could, his claws hissing through empty air. Her mouth was dry, and she didn’t even have time to turn to face him again, simply running once more.

    This was clearly the right call, because the next thing she knew a red blur pounced right where she had been moments. His claws tore at the cement floor in frustration, a snarl sputtering out of his throat. He whipped his gaze right at her, breathing heavily as he prepared to pounce again. She staggered against the wall, breathing heavily, knowing she couldn’t dodge forever.

    But it wasn’t just her at risk, but the unborn baby in her as well.

    He came at her again, and this time she didn’t even have time to run. She threw herself to the side, hitting the ground as she landed. Her arms and knees ached as she hit the ground, a dull throb taking form. She crawled forward, scrambling to get away before he could land an attack. But the fire type was much swifter than her, and she felt the Charmeleon crash into her.

    Claws dug into her back as Alex pinned her, his warm breath brushing against the back of her neck. Her eyes widened, one claws foot on top of her, the other planted next to her arm. Alex gave a snort, and Mairin gritted her teeth. Summoning all the strength she could muster, she pressed her hands to the ground and rolled to the side. It wasn’t enough to throw him off of her, but Mairin’s force did send him stumbling away. Using the momentum she had as he stepped off she rolled onto her back, palms and feet pressing against the cold cement as she scrambled back.

    He glared at her, hissing.

    “A-alex please stop...” She whispered, and he didn’t rush at her. He raised his head, tail flicking as he studied her. His eyes were cold and calculating, as if just realizing she truly had nowhere to flee. He snapped his jaws together, and slowly began to stalk towards her. Mairin’s stomach twisted. “Help!  _Hel–!”_

    “Mel!” He snarled, drowning out her cry for help. Fire began to form along his teeth, the flames flaring brighter as he crept closer. Mairin could feel her whole body trembling as she tried to move away. _“Char!”_

    He was a red blur as he came at her, knocking her onto her back as he plowed into her. The force knocked the breath out of her, but she barely even noticed as his jaws clamped around her arm. The Fire Fang burned against her, pain bursting as it sank into her skin. A scream formed in her throat, the cry struggling to escape her. Alex jerked his head back, before lashing out again, the second Fire Fang striking right below the first. The skin burned with each bite, and her cry filled the room.

    Alex’s arm swung around, the back of his clawed hand striking her shoulder, sending her to the ground. Blood dripped from his mouth, and Mairin’s right arm clung to her burnt and bleeding left arm. She could hear her scream in the air, but yet she was barely aware that the cry was coming from her. The Charmeleon regarded her for a moment, before opening his mouth.

    A mass of draconic energy filled his maw, the purple and blue energy crackling as the Dragon Pulse formed. And while fear was humming around her, the sight of the Dragon Pulse filled Mairin with another wave of fear– one that seemed to take a hold of her whole form. Her scream was cut short, shaking body going still as she watched the attack form.

    It wasn’t a dream– because she was wide awake, and it wasn’t a trance– because she was still aware of the attacking Charmeleon in front of her.

    But yet she was still seeing the desert that so often appeared in her dreams.

    There was Rayquaza, the mighty serpent rearing up against the night sky– a mass of purple and blue energy forming in front of him. The powerful Dragon Pulse crackled with energy as the dragon formed it, aimed right at Mairin as she darted through the sky. The Dragon Pulse was launched, the burst of energy right on target.

    A small yellow shape was rushing up, placing herself between the attack and Mairin. Despite the distance the Pokemon was, Mairin still recognized the Floette as she took the Dragon Pulse in place of Mairin. Even with the awareness that the dragon type move couldn’t harm the fairy type, a fear rushed through Mairin as Bébé was engulfed in the attack.

    Bébé was shaking as the Dragon Pulse faded, the tips of her skin charred black from the shear amount of energy she had just been blasted with. For an attack that shouldn’t have even affected her, it was quite clear that the raw power the Rayquaza had was even too much for her. The Rayquaza regarded the small creature that had protected his target, snorting.

    Bébé slowly turned to look at Mairin, a desperate look in her eyes.

    Mairin felt herself tensing, as if she already knew what she was about to see. The Floette’s eyes widened as she saw another attack coming her way– a blast of raw psychic energy rushing right towards her. The fairy type didn’t have time to flee or even attempt to counter, merely shifting as the ray of energy engulfed her.

    But what horrified Mairin the most was that the blast had come from right where she was.

    The image was shattered as the Dragon Pulse from Alex hit her though– the pulse of energy hitting her square in the chest. The force of the Charmeleon’s attack send her sliding across the room, crashing against the far wall. She let out a whimper of pain as he sprang after her, a Shadow Claw slashing at her shoulder.

    She could feel the sharp claws ripping through her clothes and skin, a fresh burst of pain rushing through her body. A scaly tail was slammed against her, bashing her against the wall again. Mairin didn’t even cry out, a mere whimper escaping her mouth. Alex paused, huffing as he glared down at her, the anger still gleaming bright in his eyes. Tears fell down her face, Mairin’s arms wrapping protectively around her stomach.

    Alex hesitated for a moment, tail flicking as his eyes narrowed. He took in a ragged breath, closing his eyes as he hissed.

    And that’s when the door rattled.

    The Charmeleon’s gaze whipped towards the locked door as something rammed into it again, clearly trying to burst it. Mairin shifted her head, body inflamed with agony. The door shook again, a cry of frustration on the other side. She was trembling, eyes watching the door with desperation. For a frightening moment there was silence, and Mairin curled up.

    Then there was a loud crash– and the handle of the door came flying off. In its place was a large jagged piece of rock jutting out of the where the knob use to be. The Stone Edge faded away, having shattered the entire electronic lock. The door burst open, a white shape leaping into the room.

    Ruby’s sharp red eyes swept the room, the fur on the Pokemon’s back raised in anger. Her eyes widened as her gaze landed on Mairin, taking in her trainer’s beaten shape. For a moment there was a stillness in the air– and then a snarl formed in Ruby’s throat. The Absol began to glow, releasing a wave of aura through the room. Alex stumbled, the anger in his eyes wavering as a look of uncertainty passed over him.

    Ruby reared up, slamming her front paws into the ground. The floor beneath Alex began to glow– and then a pillar of rock burst out of the ground. The Stone Edge hit Alex in the gut, the raw power of the attack launching him into the air. Ruby raced forward as the Charmeleon hit the ground, the Absol positioning herself between Mairin and Alex.

    The Stone Edge clearly had hit him hard, Alex gasping as he dragged himself to his feet. Mairin’s head slumped to the ground, arms still around her stomach as she writhed there in pain, too weak to even focus on the battle anymore. She whimpered, praying for some relief from the agony running through her. Her arm still felt as if it were on fire, blood steadily staining her clothes.

    Alex was forming a Shadow Claw, his talons becoming lit with shadowy energy as he prepared to strike. But before the attack could fully form Ruby was racing forward, a mere blur as she attacked. Her horn was glowing with dark energy, the Sucker Punch slashing across Alex’s side. As Ruby pulled back she didn’t let up, lashing out with her back legs. The harsh kick sent the Charmeleon crashing to the floor, and Ruby bolted to Mairin’s side as soon as the lizard was down.

    She felt the Pokemon nudging her, letting out low concerned whines. Mairin’s amber eyes slide open for a moment, before sliding shut again.

    Everything hurt so much– both her body and her heart.

    She could hear footsteps thundering down the hall, someone calling out, but the words failed to reach her. She simply laid there, to weak to move. The smell of burnt flesh was in the air, her warm blood spreading across her. The footsteps were growing louder, but she didn’t want to open her eyes...

    “Mairin!” A strangled voice cried out, and once again her eyes slide open. Blue eyes... Alain. It felt like he was shaking the floor as he ran towards her, shoving Ruby out of the way as he scooped her up. She let out a pained gasp as she was shifted, and he clutched her tightly. “Professor!  _Professor!”_

    “Alain...” Mairin whispered, her right arm raised up, fumbling in an attempt to reach him. Once she was able to get some form of grasp her fingers dug into his shirt, refusing to let go. She felt a warm hand clasp over hers, Alain speaking so fast that his words burred together. “It hurts...”

    “I’m right here,” Alain whispered, voice urgent. “I’m right here Mairin, it’s going to be okay, it’s going to be okay, I’m right here...”

    More footsteps. More voices. She couldn’t focus on any of them, she just sat there in Alain’s arms. She could feel his form shaking, but yet his grasp was strong as he cradled her. She was dimly aware that more people were in the room too, coming and going, but it was Alain that held her focus. A part of her wanted to pull away, not wanting him to see her bleeding on the floor.

    “The ambulance is on its way,” The words felt almost muddled together, but the voice was female. Sophie...? Cosette..? She didn’t know...

    Her eyes remained pressed closed until she felt Alain shifting. She blinked wearily, a fresh wave of pain crashing over her as she was forced to move. She let out a whimper as Alain turned, and she looked up at him, shaking in pain. Alain had turned to face a red figure standing in the corner, Mairin still cradled in his arms. She couldn’t help but shudder when she saw his eyes though– a hatred burning in his blue gaze.

    “Why are you still here?” Alain snarled at Alex, voice shaking with rage.

    “Char,” Alex huffed, tossing his head, a gleam of anger still in his eyes. But with Ruby and Alain glaring at him, he made no effort to attack Mairin. His scales were bruised from where the Stone Edge had hit him, but he gave no sign that it hurt. Alain glowered at the Charmeleon, breathing ragged, eyes narrowed.

    “Your mother would be absolutely disgusted with you,” Alain spat at the Charmeleon, who flinched.

    “Char...” Alex hissed, baring his fangs at Alain. The mere sound his voice caused Mairin to shiver, and the Charmeleon’s gaze was drawn towards her. It was hard to tell who had more hatred in their eyes– Alex or Alain.

    “Do you know what you’ve just done?” Alain hissed back, voice quivering, angry dripping in his tone. “She p-pregnant!” Alain snarled. “You’ve just attacked a mother and her unborn child!”

    A part of Mairin didn’t think the Charmeleon would even care at this fact, and Mairin simply wished that something would end this pain searing through her. But through her blur of tears, she could see Alex stiffening up. The Charmeleon went completely still, eyes wide with horror. His silver gaze locked on Mairin once more, a quiver taking hold of his scales.

    “Ch-char?” Alex croaked, the Charmeleon backing up as if he had just been struck. All the anger in his eyes was gone, and he just stood there in fear. Alex slunk back, bumping against the cement wall. He glanced down at his bloody claws, then back up into Alain’s burning gaze.

    The Charmeleon had gone from a raging monster to looking like a cowering hatchling.

    A whimper got caught in Alex’s throat, the lizard shaking his head back and forth. Alain simply brought Mairin closer into his arms, gaze softening as he whispered in her ear. Mairin didn’t understand the words, her pain overwhelming her mind. However her eyes were still half open, the dim amber gaze watching as the Charmeleon turned– bolting out of the room as fast as he could run.

    Ruby moved to the doorway, glaring out as she took guard.

    Mairin’s eyes slide shut, slipping away into the pain. It was far from rest, her charred arm screaming in agony. Yet only small groans slipped through her lips, her body not even attempting to express her pain. She didn’t dare shift until she heard sirens echoing from outside, and Alain’s grip on her tightened.

    She was suppose to be angry at something... or was it sad...? Everything hurt too much to think. The edges of her vision were blurring black as her eyes blinked open, the room spinning dizzily. She closed them again, breathing ragged as she felt herself being moved. More people, more voices– why were they touching her? Were they trying to talk to her?

    Their words were too mumbled, too quiet, she didn’t know what they were saying. She felt herself being pulled away from Alain, being laid on something. It was far from comfortable, it was hard and jerked her about, which made her beaten body scream. Her lips parted open, trying to say something, but her words were just as jumbled as everyone else around her.

    Lights? They were bright... someone should turn them off... And she supposed it was loud, but she honestly wasn’t hearing a word of what was happening. All she knew was that this board she was on made her ache even more as she was jerked about, and she wished they’d stop moving her.

    At some point a warm hand slipped into hers, squeezing it tightly. Her mind was too dim to truly focus on anything, but she found herself squeezing it in return.

    It was amidst the pain and the blurred jumbles that her mind slowly slipped away into blackness.


	14. Chapter 14

     _Beep. Beep. Beep._

    Mairin didn’t want to wake up.

   _Beep. Beep. Beep._

    She didn’t know how long it had been since she’d had a night that wasn’t plagued by nightmares– but the dreamless sleep had felt so wonderful.

    _Beep. Beep. Beep._

    But sleep was refusing to linger, and she could feel it in her body as she was slowly dragged out of the blissful darkness. She could feel herself twisting as she began to awaken– that horrible beeping still echoing in her head. But as she became more and more conscious, she realized that the annoying beeping was nothing compared to the throbbing in her body.

    Her breath hitched for a moment, shivers racing through her as she became aware of the pain running through her body. Her left arm was aching, aflamed with pain. The throbbing refused to fade, and Mairin felt herself taking in another struggling breath as she tried to comprehend the burning sensation. It wasn’t just her arm that was hurting however– her whole upper body was in pain. Her shoulder was throbbing, and her chest ached. Breathing itself was painful, and Mairin let out a small whimper.

    Her eyes slowly flickered open, the bright light making them slide right back shut. She hesitated for a moment, before she willed them to open again. She was staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling, bright fluorescent lights glaring down at her. She groaned, the beeping still in the background, and she twisted her head to the side.

    She was met with a world of white– the walls and ceiling all gleaming the unnatural color. Mairin blinked slowly, taking in the room as she tried to understand just where she was. She was laying on a bed that was far from comfortable, strange machines and devices hanging near the bed and around the room, including the machine that wouldn’t stop beeping. A TV hung on the wall across from her bed, muted as it played a channel she wasn’t familiar with.

    She turned her head again, this time towards a large window that showed the gray skies outside. She shivered, guessing from her view that she was several stories up. However it wasn’t the window that held her gaze, but rather the figure fast asleep on one of two chairs in front of the window.

    “A-alain,” Mairin croaked, a mixture of emotions running through her as she stared at him.

    Even asleep, Alain looked far from relaxed. His head was hanging down, and she was quite sure his neck would be aching when he awoke. He was slumped against the back of the cheap-looking chair, face twitching as if he were caught up in a dream. His hands kept shifting on the arms of the chair, his breathing uneven. Weavile was curled up in his lab, the dark type fast asleep, and looking much more calm. Mairin weakly stared at them, not sure of what to make of the many emotions running through her as she watched him.

    Then she remembered his cold demeanor, the way had almost bitterly told her that... that...

    Bébé.

    Bébé was dead.

    Mairin’s heart thumped heavily as she remembered. She twisted, and instantly regretted it as pain flared across her upper body. She went still, tears starting to fill her eyes as she remembered what she had been told. Bébé was gone, and no one had told her... she had ran off and then– then–

    Alex.

    She closed her eyes, the memories starting to flood back all at once. The agony across her body now made sense, the remains of the Charmeleon’s attack. Mairin flinched at the image of the Pokemon leaping at her, and her breathing became heavier. She weakly looked down at herself, and found she was in a hospital gown. Her left arm was wrapped in several layers of heavy bandages, and she wondered just how severe the bite marks were, how much damage the burns would leave...

    Though mostly covered up by the gown, she could see another bandage on her shoulder, running down to her side. She raised her good hand to touch it, but found that even that hadn’t been spared. In her wrist there was an IV was hooked to her, a clear fluid flowing into her body. Her head spun slightly at the thought, and she swiftly dropped her hand back to the bed.

    She returned to focus to Alain, staring at him for a moment. Her memories of after the attack rose in her mind, Alain holding her through the pain.

    “A-alain,” Mairin croaked out, throat feeling dry. She was starting to realize just how thirsty she was. “A-alain...?”

    She tried to speak louder, and this time his sleeping form twitched. She shifted, resulting in her injuries flaring up. She bit her tongue, trying to hold back a cry, but still a whimper escaped her throat. She wasn’t sure if it was this or her calling to him, but Alain’s eyes at last began to flutter open. He blinked several times as he awoke, raising his head up as he glanced around the room.

    “Agh,” He growled, and as Mairin predicted his hand went to his neck, clearly sore from how he had been sleeping. He glanced at Mairin for a brief moment, before looking down at Weavile as he rubbed his neck. Then suddenly he froze up, head whipping back towards Mairin in surprise, the action making him wince.

    “H-hi,” Mairin whispered, not sure what else to say as he stared at her.

    Relief broke over his face as he saw her awake, and Alain jumped to his feet– causing poor Weavile to fall to the ground. The dark type let out a yelp as she hit the ground, fur on end as she looked around the room in surprise. Alain shot an apologetic glance at the Pokemon, before looking back at Mairin.

    “Y-you’re awake,” He whispered, swiftly rushing to her bedside. Weavile pulled herself to her feet, huffing, before leaping back into a chair and curling up. “A-are you okay? How are you feeling?”

    His hand grabbed hers, and Mairin was too exhausted to pull it away. She closed her eyes, focusing on making sure her breaths were short so they didn’t hurt her throbbing chest.

    “Everything hurts,” Mairin whispered. “Wh-where are we?”

    “We’re at the hospital,” Alain replied, and he glanced away. “...Do you remember what happened?”

    “Alex...” Mairin breathed quietly, eyes still closed, and Alain’s hand tightened around hers.

    “Yes...” Alain hissed, making no effort to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Her eyes flicked open, and Alain was gritting his teeth. She shuddered at the raw anger in his gaze, the mere expression looking so wrong on him.

    “Don’t,” Mairin muttered, and he glanced down at her. “Don’t... be mad at him.”

    “Oh, I’m not mad,” Alain said in a low voice, that fire still in his eyes. “I’m absolutely livid– if he knows what’s best for him he’ll never show his face at the lab again.”

    His voice was so bitter, so hateful– but yet so calm.

    “A-alain,” She whispered. “Please, d-don’t think like that... he’s Charizard’s child, you can’t treat him like that...” She closed her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts. “N-no wonder he just attacks– considering that you were keeping him locked in a r-room like that! There’s no way Charizard would allow that– have you been keeping that from her?!”

    Alain cringed, and for a moment he didn’t speak. “Mairin, don’t speak that much, your body needs rest...”

    “N-no,” Mairin hissed, even surprising herself as her anger fueled her through the pain. “You can’t treat him like that!”

    Alain turned away from her, his hand slipping out of hers, and he took in several deep breaths. Mairin watched him, sweat running down her face as she huffed. He walked back towards the window, grabbing the chair next to the one Weavile was on, bringing it over to her bedside. She flinched at the noise of it dragging across the ground, though it wasn’t as annoying as the constant beeping, and he sat down. He laced his fingers together, staring down at his hands.

    “Mairin, I’ve tried to make things better,” He muttered quietly. “I’ve tried... but whenever he sees you he just attacks...” He gritted his teeth. “This is the third time Alex has landed you in the emergency room, and who knows how many times we’ve treated minor wounds at the lab. It’s either keeping him in a locked separate room, or in a Pokeball all day.”

    “And what does Charizard think of y-you treating her son like that?” Mairin growled, and again Alain flinched.

    He didn’t reply for a moment, his dark hair hanging in front of his face as he stared down. Mairin frowned, noticing a tremble taking a hold of his form. For a moment there was no words between them, only the constant beeping from the machine.

    “...She’d probably hate me...” Alain muttered at last, closing his eyes.

    Mairin took in a sharp breath as a pulse of pain ran through her, and she twisted in the bed. Alain quickly stood up, a panicked look in his eyes, but there was nothing he could do as she quivered. After a minute the surge of pain died down, and Alain reached out to take her hand once more. She let him, the feeling of him rubbing his thumb across her hand somewhat calming.

    She stared up at the ceiling, thinking on Alain’s words. She understood Alain’s anger, but still a part of her ached at the thought of him hating Alex. She didn’t know what it was about the lizard, and even though she was terrified him, she just couldn’t bring herself to hate him. She shivered as she recalled his rage-filled eyes, fire forming along his jaws. She cringed, causing another wave of pain to run across her upper body.

    “...Why does Alex hate me?” Mairin whispered, amber eyes cracking open.

    Alain hesitated. “Mairin, please... don’t focus on him. You need to rest, that’s what you need...”

    Tears stung Mairin’s eyes. “You’re going to do it again,” She whispered– he was avoiding the topic. “Y-your going to keep this from me.”

    “I–” He gulped. “I...” His gaze slide away from hers, and he sat down on the chair again. “Y-you’ve been unconscious for nearly a day now... We can talk later, please just get some rest.”

    “Please just tell me the truth!” Mairin cried, flinching in pain, and she lowered her voice. “L-listening would be resting...”

    He closed his eyes, expression looking so pained. Mairin’s heart twisted, recognizing the fact that this was something he truly didn’t want to talk to her about. But in agony or not, she had a right to the truth. She just stared at him, breathing swallow as she tried to keep the bruises from the Dragon Pulse from hurting her chest. It took several minutes, but finally Alain looked at her once more. His gaze looked distant and conflicted, but rather than the hard expression he so often had, there was a look of sorrow in those icy eyes.

    “It wasn’t your fault,” Alain whispered. “Alex was just looking for someone to blame...”

    She stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. Once he saw that this answer wouldn’t satisfy her he looked away, burying his head in one hand. He took in several deep breaths, seemingly trying to calm himself down, or perhaps simply gathering the courage to speak. His lips cracked open, voice quiet as he started speaking, unable to make eye contact with her.

    “Bébé wasn’t the only one we lost that day,” Alain said at last, voice empty.

    Shivers raced through Mairin, eyes widening. Her heart thumped harder, Alain’s head shifting slightly so he could look at her. His gaze looked pained, blue eyes gleaming with unvoiced sorrow. Mairin dimly realized that her hand was still in his, and she squeezed it in a reassuring manner– even with a fear building up in her.

    Someone else was dead.

    “Max... Max lost his Mightyena...” Alain said, eyes distant, lost in another time. His hand tightened around hers, his knuckles becoming white. “You lost B-bébé, and I lost M-metagross...”

    He cringed, tears entering his gaze. Mairin’s heart was feeling heavy, her hand hurting from how tightly Alain was gripping it. Her body instinctively wanted to pull away, but she forced herself to stay still.

    “A-and– and I lost Ch-charizard,”  Alain whispered, voice hoarse.

    His voice broke as the last word slipped through his lips, and the tears entered his eyes. He brought his hands to his face– in turn bringing Mairin’s as well– pressing his head against them as the tears fell down his face. His shoulders trembled, body shaking, but yet he managed to remain completely silent.

    Mairin stared at him, blinking as she took in what he had just said. Tears formed her in own eyes, but her sorrow was eclipsed by Alain’s.

    For someone that worked so hard to hide what he was feeling, seeing him cry so openly was heart wrenching. Her lips opened, wanting to say something to comfort him, but no words came. So instead she let Alain grip her hand as he cried, a sorrow he had been keeping hidden from her breaking free.

     _“...I ...I have more... family buried here.”_

    Alain’s words from the cemetery echoed in her mind, and suddenly their meaning truly rang clear. Charizard... his very first Pokemon, someone he had treated like a sister. Metagross, a companion that had been at his side for years. Who else would Alain consider family but the ones that had been alongside him for so long?

    And they were gone.

    A heaviness of her own entered Mairin’s heart, her memories of the Pokemon filling her head. Her mind was struggling to wrap itself around the fact that they were simply gone. Like with Bébé there was no warning, so explanation– just the news suddenly thrown at her.

    Alain’s breathing turned ragged as he tried to gain control of himself, his hands slowly pulling away from his face, gently releasing hers as he did so. He turned away, a tremble still in his limbs as he took in several deep breaths. He made no effort to wipe the tears away from his face, and Mairin wished there was something she could do. She braced herself, muscles stiffening as she tried to sit up.

    This action was only met with a gasp of pain from her– she was clearly not in the state to sit up quite yet. Alain swiftly turned around as he heard her, worry in his tear-filled eyes as he looked over her. He held his hands out, but there was nothing he could do as she waited for the pain to die down.

    “M-mairin,” He whispered. “Don’t push yourself–”

    “Alain,” She whispered, blinking as she felt more tears forming. “I’m– I’m so sorry, I’m so–”

    “Shh,” He whispered, laying his hand over hers. “Mairin, please, don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault,” His voice became more urgent. “It wasn’t your fault.”

    She looked at him, not sure of how to reply. His tears had stopped, though his eyes still had that distant look. Hers were still brimming with tears, mind still trying to take in everything he was telling her. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to understand just what had taken their Pokemon from them.

    “A-and Alex...?” Mairin asked softly.

    Alain gulped. “He... he never was the same after Charizard... after she...” He flinched. “What he witnessed broke him,” He nervously glanced at Mairin, debating what he should say next. His gaze was conflicted for a moment, and finally he let out a long sigh. “Mairin... th-that night... we almost lost you as well.”

    Her heart thumped.

    “Charizard... when she died...” His eyes turned away. “She died trying to save you.”

    A pang of guilt ran through her at these words. Alain must have seen this in her expression, for his hand once again tightened around hers. Mairin gulped, everything feeling heavy as she took this in. Her mind slowly began to fill in the blanks, piecing Alain’s words together.

    “That’s why Alex hates me,” Mairin said quietly, her voice hollow. “If Ch-charizard hadn’t–”

    Alain’s voice was stiff as he spoke. “He’s hurt you for something that was beyond your control. For something that was beyond all of us...” He gritted his teeth. “You’ve done nothing, but because of him you’re lying here in pain.”

    Alain seemed to seize the anger, the cold bitterness returning to his gaze– and Mairin dimly had the feeling that he was merely attempting to escape the sorrow that had been there moments before. He embraced the change of topic without second thought, dropping the painful story he had just began to tell her without blinking.

    Alain was hurting, but his response was only to push it away.

    “I... I’m fine...” Mairin whispered, hating the anger in his eyes. His expression didn’t change though, and her panic surged up. “And I’ll be able to recover,” She whispered. “Everything is okay–”

    She paused mid sentence, eyes widening as a thought crossed over her mind, and a wave of cold fear washed over her. Every part of her tensed, her fear driving away the pain, and she had to choke out her next words.

    “The b-baby!” Mairin cried, heart hammering. She whipped her head towards Alain, shoulder bursting with pain at the action. “The baby! Is she–!”

    “Shh,” Alain whispered, but still her panic didn’t fade.

    “Tell me the baby’s okay,” Mairin whispered. “Please, tell me she’s okay.”

    Alain hesitated, looking away. “...We don’t know yet.”

    “What do you mean we don’t know?” Mairin whispered, chest flaring up as she twisted to face Alain. There was an uneasy look in his eyes, and he reached out to still her. “A-alain–!”

    “Mairin. Shh,” Alain whispered. “None of the attacks hit near her, there doesn’t seem to be any direct damage to the baby from what the doctors could see,” He hesitated, only fueling her panic. “But you’re so early into the pregnancy that there’s not much we can see right now,” Alain explained softly. “The doctors ran several tests just to make sure your body hasn’t reacted negatively and to make sure no internal damage was done.”

    “What does that mean?” Mairin whispered.

    “It means that from everything we can see at the moment, the baby is just fine,” Alain said firmly. “You just need to rest and focus on recovering– the tests are just to make sure they didn’t miss anything. The doctors are going to take care of you– both of you– everything is going to be okay.”

    Her heart was still thumping wildly, but his reassurances slowly made her muscles relax. Her injuries still burned, but the intensity was starting to die down with her fear.

    “Everything is going to be okay,” She echoed softly, urging herself to go still, but yet a raw fear was still pumping through her. “It’s okay...”

    Silence settled in around them, only the beeping of the machines echoing through the room. Alain slowly pulled his hand away from her, turning slightly to gaze out the window. Mairin favored for closing her eyes, slowly trying to find the limits of her breathing as she laid there. There was so much to take in, but yet it had all been thrown on her at once.

    Her body was still aching, and it felt even more so with Alain having gone silent. She tried to focus on anything but the pain– her thoughts, the beeping, the thumping of her heart. Even the burning sorrow from what she had learned was better than the pain. They were gone... she didn’t know why or how, but they were gone. They deserved to be mourned, they deserved her dedication.

    “...I should have told you about Bébé...”

    Alain’s voice was quiet, speaking more to himself than her as he stared out at the gray clouds.

    “Yes,” Mairin whispered. “You should have.”

    She still didn’t know why, or how this had all happened, but she now held the truth. An explanation for what was missing around her.

    But she should have known sooner.

    “If I would have told you, this wouldn’t have happened,” Alain said, briefly glancing at her bandages, before flinching. “But you were... just you. You don’t understand what it was like to simply see you just be yourself again,” He gave a small sigh. “There was no fake smiles, no struggles to bury yourself...”

    His gaze shifted back to her, blue eyes sorrowful.

    “So how could I tell you something that’d only hurt you?” His hands curled. “But if I just would have told you right away then you wouldn’t have ran off... And Alex would have never found you...”

    Mairin said nothing.

    “I’m so sorry, Mairin,” Alain whispered. “You kept giving me so much trust, but I just kept using it. I was so worried about how you  _might_  feel that I wasn’t concerned with how you felt  _now,”_  He lowered his head. “I... I promise I didn’t want to hurt you like this. I didn’t want to put you through this,” He looked at her, more tears entering his eyes. “I’m sorry. I... Please– Mairin– forgive me.”

    His gaze was so desperate, so sorrowful, and her heart ached. Her mouth opened for a moment, before she pressed it shut. Too much had happened– too much was happening– this wasn’t just a simple thing. She stared at him for a moment, before closing her eyes.

    “I can’t.”

    She could hear him pulling back, and her heart thumped, knowing that those words were only hurting him.

    She took in a painful deep breath, before opening her eyes. “I can’t forgive you, not yet Alain, I’m sorry,” She looked at him. “I care so much about you, but this isn’t just a little thing we can drop– we can’t live like this. We can’t live with these lies and secrets, I can’t live with you just sheltering me,” She turned away. “I just can’t tell if you care about  _me_ , Alain, or the person I used to be.”

    “I do care about you–” Alain began.

    “No,” Mairin whispered. “You care about the person I used to be,” She gritted her teeth. “But I’m not her anymore. And... and what if I don’t ever remember those times– what would you do then? How long would it take you to let go of the person I was? I... I honestly don’t know if you could.”

    Alain said nothing.

    “...You’re broken,” Mairin whispered. “You are just as broken as I was,” She turned to face him, looking into his unreadable gaze. “What I saw just a few minutes ago proves that. I was hurting before all this, shutting down– and I came to rely on you, didn’t I? During all those years you were my anchor, and you were more than willing to be it,” Mairin’s voice broke. “But you forgot to take care of yourself. You were too focused on me to realize just how much you’ve been hurting...”

    “You needed me–” Alain began, and Mairin weakly held up her hand.

    “I know I did,” Mairin whispered, thinking back on the dreams and trances she’d had, on how shattered she had been. “And I am grateful for that– but... but I don’t need that anymore,” She looked at him. “What I need is for you to take care of yourself, Alain. Not me.”

    “You’re hurt,” Alain whispered. “Not me.”

    “...I’m healing,” Mairin said, her limbs throbbing slightly. “I may be hurting, but I’m also healing. And while you may hide it, I know you’re hurting on the inside, and I want you to heal.”

    His mouth was open, but he didn’t seem to know what to say. His mouth slowly slide shut, a visible gulp coming from him as he sat there. He watched her for a moment, blue eyes looking so confused and hurt.

    “I... I don’t blame you,” He said after a moment. “I wouldn’t forgive myself either.”

    “It’s not that, Alain,” Mairin whispered. “But we just can’t say sorry and let things go back to how they were. We need to change things. And I...” She pressed her eyes shut. “I need time to think, Alain. I need time to mourn, to understand just what’s happening. And you... you want me to forgive you, but I think what you really need is to let go of the aches you’re holding onto, the ones that don’t need to be there,” She opened her eyes, amber gaze boring into blue. “I want you to forgive Alex.”

    His gaze hardened. “He hurt you.”

    “Yes,” Mairin said. “I know he did,” Her chest seemed to throb more just by speaking about Alex. “And that hatred you’re holding onto is hurting you,” She gulped. “And it’s scaring me.”

    He looked away. “...I’m sorry.”

    “Please,” Mairin whispered. “Please forgive him, Alain, please. He looked so alone, no one deserves to be alone.”

    Alain slowly shook his head. “I don’t understand you, Mairin. After everything you’ve been through, after everything Alex has put you through, you’re worried about him. I... I don’t know of anyone else that could do that,” He gritted his teeth. “I don’t know why you want me to forgive him.”

    “...It would make me happy,” Mairin whispered. “That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

    “More than anything else in the world,” He closed his eyes, biting his lip.

    He looked like he was going to say more, but then an buzzing filled the room. He paused, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a phone. He stared down at the text he had just gotten, and closed his eyes. A look of frustration crossed his gaze, and he glanced at Mairin for a moment.

    “I... I don’t want to do this Mairin, but I need to go,” He said slowly, hand gripping the phone. “I don’t want to leave, but I need to be there for this,” He pushed himself to his feet, eyes on Mairin. “I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can– but for now just do whatever the doctor tells you to do, okay?” He reached out, and for a moment she thought he was going to touch her face, but his hand fell onto her good shoulder instead. “I just want you to rest, alright?”

    “Alright,” Mairin whispered, watching him. See could see it in his eyes– he wasn’t pushing her words to the side. He needed the chance to think on things, to mull over them before accepting what they meant. He had clearly given the last few years to her– so she could give him his time to think.

    Alain hestiated. “Is there anything at the lab you need?”

    “Chespie...?” Mairin asked.

    Alain shook his head. “They don’t allow larger Pokemon in here, or else I’d have Ruby out with you,” Alain glanced back at Weavile. “I told the doctors not to let any psychic types near here, and Weavile’s presence should help, but if anything happens call for a doctor,” His gaze returned to her. “I don’t want you to have to go through a trance, not after all this.”

    Mairin’s heart thumped, wondering if she should tell him that she had already experienced them.

    But he was already heading towards the door, but he stopped as he reached for the handle, clearly not knowing what to say.

    “Alain,” Mairin whispered. “Thank you for being there for me.”

    “Of course,” He whispered. “I’d do anything for you. I- I c-care so much about you.”

    Mairin knew that he had been wanting to say more, but she was grateful that he didn’t. Grateful that he left it with where they were at. She closed her eyes, exhaustion running through her as the door clicked shut.

    And she was left alone to her pain and her thoughts.


	15. Chapter 15

“...You finally have the chance to roam the lab, and you’re just sitting in here?”

Alex stiffened up as he heard the low voice behind him, and the Charmeleon whipped his head up. His eyes narrowed at the towering figure standing in the open doorway, watching him with unreadable eyes. Alex let out a low hiss towards Alain, warning his trainer that he wasn’t in the mood.

Alain snorted. “As much as I want to leave, I’m afraid I can’t,” He crossed his arms. “I should be in the hospital with Mairin right now, but I have to be here.”

Alex’s jaw tightened at the mention of  _her_  name, and a sputtering growl escaped his throat. He turned his head away from Alain, claws curling into the pile of blankets he called his bed. There had once been more things in this room, but over time Alex had reduced most of them to cinders out of boredom. Watching the flickering flames was much more calming than any entertainment the toys would have provided. He only kept the blankets and pillows intact so he’d have a place to sleep.

The only thing that was truly important to him however was the blue gem around his neck– his mother’s mega stone.

“This is the third time you’ve put Mairin in the hospital,” Alain continued, voice still low.

Alex took in a deep breath through his snout, catching a whiff of Alain. There was a salty smell to his normal scent– he had been crying. He risked a quick glance at his trainer, who had his fists clenched. He was angry– more than what Alex was use to. He wasn’t afraid though, Alain would never go farther than angry shouts. There wasn’t much else to their relationship, the last time he had attempted to do something nice when he had allowed Alex to stay in his room a few weeks back. Alex still wasn’t sure why Mairin hadn’t been sleeping with Alain like normal, though she had come into the room later than night.

Her scent had been... different. More energetic, less fearful.

“The League won’t let this slide this time, Alex,” Alain said coolly.

Alex didn’t move, still laying on his pile of pillows. He shifted his claws, only so he could lay his talons against the mega stone. He wasn’t surprised at this news– league officials had been by the last two times he had been able to get his claws on Mairin to the point she had been taken to the hospital. He was sure that this time around they’d do more than just glare at him.

But he honestly didn’t care.

Because Alex felt that he deserved whatever came.

He didn’t feel bad for what he had done to Mairin– his anger towards her was still there. Hot and fiery, crawling under his scales. Just looking at her brought back the horrid memories: the cold desert sand beneath his claws, the horrible roars and clashes in the air, the red being that had descended down from the sky...

A whimper of fear escaped Alex, his muscles running tense.

He shoved the memories aside, pushing the dreadful reminders that had been dragged into his mind. His grasp on the stone tightened, and he forced the whimpers to morph into growls. He let the fear melt away into anger, focusing on what he could do now rather than what he couldn’t do then.

But was there anything he could even do now?

Mairin was pregnant.

His stomach twisted, the guilt climbing back into his heart. It wasn’t towards what he had done to  _Mairin–_  she had nothing to do with this horrible guilt he was feeling. It was still what he had done, however, that was eating away at him.

He had attacked a mother and her unborn child.

He had done the same thing that  _monster_  had done.

“What happens to you next is beyond my control,” Alain said, pulling Alex from his thoughts. His trainer was still in the doorway, arms crossed, and he was staring out into the hallway. “They’ll be here within the hour– hopefully sooner– and you’ll be taken into league custody. They’ll be the ones that’ll decide if you can come back here or not,” Alain let his cold gaze slide to the lizard. “I don’t care either way. Just so you know.”

Alex snorted.

“...She wanted me to forgive you,” Alain said quietly after a moment, and Alex froze up. “Even after what you did the first thing she told me was not to blame you...” Alex looked up at Alain, who was watching him with a calculating glare. He closed his eyes, looking away as he spoke in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry, Mairin– I can’t.”

A growl rattled Alex’s throat, the thought of that human defending him sickening.

“...I can’t forgive you. Not for what you’ve done to Mairin, to my unborn child,” Alain hissed, and Alex recoiled at the mention of the child.

He wasn’t like that monster, he wasn’t like that monster...

“...But for Mairin’s sake, and for Charizard’s memory...” He fell silent for a moment, turning away. “Show the league that you’re not dangerous, and they’ll return you to my custody. If that’s what happens... you’ll still have a home here. You always will. That’s all I can offer you.”

“Mel,” Alex said, letting out a puff of smoke– like before, he just didn’t care what would happen to him.

He closed his eyes, waiting for Alain to leave, but he heard no footsteps. He could smell Alain still lingering in the doorway, still staring at him. The lizard didn’t move an inch, curled up as if he could bring no harm. Both of them knew it was far from true, the desire to fight itched at him with every breath he took.

He curled his tail as the minutes passed by– Alain still having made no move to leave. Did he want something? He was already going to be dragged out of the only place he had ever known as home, was it too much to have a few moments alone? He cracked open a silver eye, and found that his trainer was staring at him from the doorway still.

Alex let out a low warning growl, letting the flames on his tail sputter in his frustration.

Alain closed his eyes, then turned to leave. Content with this, the lizard closed his eye again, muscles relaxing. Just as he was ready to fade off into the nothingness, Alain’s voice cut through the silence.

“...She wasn’t in control of herself that night,” Alain whispered. “You do realize that, right? She wasn’t in control.”

Alex tensed.

“I... I understand why you’re angry, I l-lost Charizard too that night, I– I...” Alain took in a sharp breath. “It wasn’t her fault. It was that– that–”

 _Monster._ Alex finished in his mind, both of them not wanting to remember that terrible creature. But the image of the creature was fresh in his mind. It’s twisting limbs, that unblinking gaze, pulsing with psychic energy. The unworldly being had branded itself in his mind, it would be something that the Charmeleon would never forget.

“Besides,” Alain whispered, tone trembling. “If anyone is to blame for Ch-charizard’s death... it’s me,” Alex raised his head, whipping around to stare at Alain’s tear-filled eyes. “I...  _I’m_  the one you should be blaming– not Mairin.” Alain’s eyes pressed closed. “I was the one that ordered her to join the fight after M-metagross....”

Alex’s entire form had gone still, eyes wide at this news. He stared at Alain in pure horror, heart thumping through his entire body. After a moment he let out a sputtering growl, the noise being forced from his throat– and the sound could only be translated as a strangled ‘Why?’.

Alain’s hands clenched into fists. “It was my f-fault... and no one else's. I wish you could understand that.”

With that Alain turned, closing the thick door behind him, the lock clicking into place as it always did. Alex could only stare at the doorway, listening to the footsteps echoing down the hallway. The Charmeleon’s world spun around, the mere knowledge that his mother had been ordered into battle sending chills down his scales. His claws clung to the mega stone on his neck, his whole form shaking.

_‘Alex, come here.’_

His mother’s voice was gentle in his mind, and tears lined his eyes at the memory rose in his head– a small Charmander racing up to the mighty Charizard and Tyranitar. The fire type had a gentle look in her silver eyes as she scooped up her son, holding him close.

_‘I have something I want to show you.’_

Her voice was painful for Alex to remember, but yet so calming at the same time. He stared straight ahead, the memory playing out in his head. His mother gently holding his clawed hand against her stomach, allowing him to feel what was growing within her.

_‘Do you feel that, Alex? It’s something very special. That’s an egg.’_

He remembered the confusion his young self had felt when she had said that, trying to understand just what was growing in his mother. He remembered the warmth of the scales as he felt the unlaid egg though, the light in Charizard’s eyes as she looked down on him.

_‘You’re going to be a big brother, Alex.’_

Tears overflowed the Charmeleon’s eyes, and he whipped his head side to side, expelling the memory from his mind. He was shaking, and he pressed himself into the blankets below him, trying to suppress his tears. The tears still came though, bitter and warm as they ran down his snout.

He had lost more than a mother that night.

And the knowledge that he had brought harm to someone carrying an unborn child– just like that creature had harmed his gravid mother– horrified him beyond words.

He didn’t care what happened to him. He didn’t care what happened to Mairin– but he prayed to Xerneas that her unborn child would be okay.

* * *

“You didn’t have to come...” Mairin said weakly, but Serena brushed off the comment as soon as it left Mairin’s mouth.

“Didn’t have to come?” Serena repeated, hands going to her hips. “Are you kidding me? You’re in the hospital– what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t come?”

Mairin smiled weakly, but was grateful for the company– she had been quite alone since Alain had left. The nurses came and went, but only one of them would even speak to her outside of routine questions. Even Weavile spent most of her time napping, and the dark type looked very hesitant to approach her even when she was awake.

“A-and who’s this?” Mairin asked in a slightly strained tone, looking at the person who had come in with Serena. He had dark black hair and bright brown eyes, and he gave Mairin a hesitant smile.

Serena smirked. “Don’t recognize him? Come on Mairin, you first met him when you first met me.”

Mairin frowned, redirecting her gaze to the man. She stared at him for a moment, mind pulling up the memory of when she had first met Serena. What was the dead give away though was the small yellow shape that jumped up onto the man’s shoulder. She blinked, then her eyes widened in recognition, surprised at just how much he had changed.

“Ash?” Mairin asked, and he grinned.

“Yep,” He said. “I guess it’s been quite a few years for you... with the memory lost and all,” He stroked Pikachu, and the cheerfulness in his eyes faded slightly. “Sorry we have to meet again like this though...” He eyed her bandages. “Attacked by a Charmeleon...”

She flinched at the mention of Alex.

Serena gave Ash a light smack. “We’re here to cheer her up– not to remind her of what happened!”

Ash scratched the back of his head Mareepishly. “Sorry,” He looked at Mairin again. “We did bring you gifts though!”

“I can see,” Mairin said with a weak smile, glancing at the table where the cluster of brightly colored balloons and a bowl of candy had been set. She had been half asleep when Ash and Serena had come in– but the sudden burst of color and voices had woken her right up. She reached for the bowl of candy, flinching in pain as she pushed herself.

Pikachu’s ears flicked up, and he sprang from Ash’s shoulder and onto the table. The electric type picked up a piece of chocolate from the bowl, holding it out to Mairin. She gave the Pokemon a small smile, glancing at the fancy chocolate in her hand– clearly Serena hadn’t been cheap when choosing out what to give her. Using her teeth and good arm to unwrap the chocolate, she plopped the treat into her mouth, savoring the sweet flavor.

“Better than the hospital food?” Serena asked.

Mairin attempted to shrug– but the wounds from the Shadow Claw prevented her from doing so. “I- I don’t know yet. I just woke up earlier today...” She gave hesitant smile. “Though I’m pretty sure all chocolate will be better than hospital food.”

Ash gave a warm laugh at this, holding out his arm so Pikachu could jump back on. Mairin watched them, slightly jealous that Chespie was too big to be allowed into the hospital– she wished she could have her best friend by her side. Mairin briefly wondered if Poppy could be allowed in.

Serena gave a small nod, hesitating. “And the baby...?”

Mairin looked down as her unborn child was brought up. “A-alain says that everything looks okay, but the doctors ran a few tests just to make sure... I haven’t heard anything else yet.”

...Why did talking about the baby make her feel sick?

Serena relaxed at these words though, a smile of relief on her face. “Oh, thank goodness,” She said, grabbing Ash’s hand. “When I heard that you were in the hospital I was so worried...”

There was a lump in Mairin’s throat, heart hammering– begging for another thing to talk about. One hand was on Mairin’s stomach, clutching it as if she could feel the growing child inside, even though she knew it was much to early to. She swallowed hard, casting her mind about for something else to think on, and her eyes landed on Ash’s and Serena’s entangled hands.

“W-wait,” Mairin said, glancing between them. “Are you two–?”

Serena flushed. “Oh yeah, you don’t remember that,” She leaned against Ash, smiling. “Yes, we’re together– engaged, in fact.”

Mairin’s eyes lit up “En-engaged? Oh! Congratulations you two!” She shifted, wishing she could sit up– though finally hearing some good news did lift some of the weight on Mairin’s shoulder. “When’s the wedding...?”

“In three months,” Ash said. “In Pallet Town,” He grinned. “Where we first met, after all.”

Serena hesitated. “If... if you’re able to make it, we’d love for you and Alain to come.”

She smiled. “Of course we’ll be there, we wouldn’t miss out on a friend’s wedding!”

Serena relaxed, smiling as well. “Thank you,” She shifted, looking over Mairin, gaze falling slightly as she once more took in Mairin’s state. The redhead shifted, hoping the conversation wouldn’t be shifted back to her. “Is there anything we can do for you though, while you’re here? Get you anything? I imagine you must be bored out of your mind.”

Mairin shrugged the best she could, she wasn’t exactly bored, but then again she had been sleeping most of the time she had been in the hospital. Her eyes shifted between Serena and Ash, wondering just what she should say. She was sure in a few days time she would be bored out of her mind, but she didn’t want to put any burden on them.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine...” She muttered, but Serena merely narrowed her eyes.

“Come on Mairin, I just want to help,” She said. “I could... bring you something to play games or listen to music on, I could run to the library and gets some books, or–”

“Books sound good,” Mairin whispered, not sure of what else to say.

Serena smiled at this. “Great– what kinds of books do you want?”

Mairin bit her lip, racking her mind for something that would be easy for Serena to find, but would still be interesting to look at. Her mind replayed the last few days, minus anything that had to do with Alex, and she shifted. After a moment she looked up at Serena, wondering if she’d have anything against this request– but so far Serena hadn’t tried to hide anything from her unlike some other people.

“...Do you think you could get me some books about Hoenn?” Mairin asked quietly, the name of the region making her tense up, even if she didn’t remember what had taken place there.

But she knew  _something_ had happened there– because everything seemed to tied back to Hoenn. Everything from her trances, to her sensitivity of psychic energy, and to... and to whatever had taken Bébé and the others from her.

“Hoenn...?” Serena asked, a slight frown on her face.

Mairin bit her lip, trying to think up of some excuse. “Er– I just want to learn more about Ruby, my Absol... I don’t remember anything, and I know she came from Hoenn...” She gave a small smile. “I’d just be nice to have a book about Hoenn or Hoenn Pokemon.”

Serena nodded. “I’ll see what I can find,” She glanced at Ash. “Hey, honey? Would you mind staying here with Mairin while I go to the library for her? No need for her to be alone.”

“Sure thing,” Ash said, sitting down in the chair that Alain had been sitting in when she had woken up. He glanced at Mairin. “If you’re okay with that.”

Mairin gave a small nod. “Sure. We can catch up.”

Serena was drawing her hair back into a ponytail, using a hair band that had been around her wrist. She smiled at her fiance and Mairin, pulling a pair of sunglasses out of her purse and slipping them on. Pikachu hopped up onto Ash’s head, waving goodbye as Serena headed towards the door.

“Pika!”

“Bye Serena,” Ash called.

“See you guys soon,” Serena flashed them a smile, then slipped out into the hallway– leaving Mairin, Ash, Pikachu, and Alain’s sleeping Weavile alone. For a moment they didn’t say anything, simply shifting uncertainly, and Mairin glanced out the window.

“Some weather we’re having,” She muttered after a moment, staring out at the gray skies that haven’t seemed to change over the last few days.

“...It’s not natural,” Ash said under his breath, and Mairin glanced at him. He gave a small smile, stroking Pikachu. “Heh, sorry... it’s just not normal weather. Cloudy for days without a drop of rain? Not that likely.”

Mairin blinked. “Do you think something’s causing it?”

Ash frowned. “...There’s a strange aura in the air,” He finally said, which made Mairin even more confused. “Something more unnatural than the weather.”

This wasn’t the Ash she remembered– the Ash she remembered was silly and energetic, with a passion for battle and for Pokemon. Seeing him muse softly was quite a different for her, and she could only stare at the Kantonian boy.

“...Aura? What are you, a Lucario?” Mairin asked, trying to loosen some of the tension.

Ash blinked, before smiling. “Oh yeah, you probably don’t remember,” He held out his hand, and if Mairin would have had the energy she would have jumped out of her bed when a blue glow lit his hand. “I guess you could kinda say I’m a Lucario, heh, I have the same aura powers as them.”

“Awesome,” Mairin muttered under her breath, heart racing still, but she watched in fascination as Ash let the blue light flicker across his hand. He then closed it into a fist, smothering out the glow.

“Use to be a thing no one really knew about, but then I was asked to play a part in a movie a few years back, and now kinda of everyone knows...” He grinned. “They wanted someone to play Sir Aaron’s part in the movie– and I guess getting someone with actual aura powers to play their knight was easier than hiring people to edit fake aura in with CGI.”

Movie? Aura? Knights?

“...Were in you in the same movie Serena said she filmed?” Mairin asked after a moment.

“Yep,” Ash said, smiling as he pulled Pikachu off of his head. “That’s actually about the time we started dating– but that’s a whole other story of its own.”

“I think it’s adorable that you two ended up together,” Mairin said. “You know she had the biggest crush on you as a kid.”

Ash flushed. “Yeah, Bonnie has let me know that the moment we announced we were dating. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Serena more flustered,” He chuckled. “Well, maybe when she found out we were in the same movie...”

“Chu!” Pikachu grinned, laying down on Ash’s lap, looking up at his trainer hopefully. Ash reached down, giving the electric type a belly rub, causing Pikachu to let out a cry of joy. “Cha~”

“I have a Lucario,” Mairin said after a moment.

“I know,” Ash said. “I’m the one that recommended that you get a Riolu, actually.”

“Really?”

“Alain wanted you to have a Pokemon that could help monitor your emotions,” Ash said, still stroking a very content Pikachu in his lap. “And there are places out there that raise Pokemon like Ralts and Solrock for those purposes– Pokemon that can naturally sense emotions, but–”

“But those are both psychic type,” Mairin finished. “I couldn’t be around them.”

Ash gave an uncertain smile. “Yeah, and that’s when I recommended a Riolu. Using aura they can sense emotions as well, though they tend to be more battling oriented rather than nurturing, so they aren’t usually used as service-mon– but we were able to get one raised for you,” He watched her. “I hope he’s been helping.”

“...He’s a bit distant, but he has woken me up from nightmares,” Mairin said.

Ash smiled. “I’m glad that’s worked out for you,” He frowned. “I don’t get why he isn’t here with you though– even if he is considered to big by the hospital’s standard, he’s still a service Pokemon– they have to let him in.”

Mairin gritted her teeth– Luke was a service Pokemon? She didn’t have a problem with that– but what she did have a problem with was the fact that no one had mentioned this to her.

“I’ll asked Alain to bring him...” Mairin said slowly.

Ash looked at her, his dark brown eyes seemingly able to pierce right through her. She shivered, and he tilted his head.

“Did something happen between you and Alain?”

For a moment she wondered if she really was that easy to read, but then she remembered that Ash had just said he had the same powers as a Lucario. That probably meant that he could sense her frustration with ease, if that’s how aura worked. She tried to bury her anger, but Ash was still watching her with that gentle gaze. Even Pikachu had paused from his petting to look at her.

“...He’s been keeping things from me,” Mairin whispered after a moment. “And he doesn’t even try to hide that fact...” She closed her eyes. “The reason why I’m in here was because I ran off when I learned that B-bébé was dead– even though he had this whole time to tell me, and I wasn’t until I woke up that I learned–”

Before she realized what she was doing, she was telling Ash everything. From her sorrow from learning about the Pokemon they had all lost, to how Alain hadn’t even told her why Alex had hated her. Her words just spilled over, and she found herself talking about the trances and the dreams she had yet to tell Alain, and how she knew he was still hiding things from her, and how she had refused to forgive him even though he had looked so hurt.

“A-and I know what I’m seeing in the dreams is real,” Mairin whispered. “B-but they just don’t make sense, and I don’t want to tell him anything when he won’t say anything to me, and–” She wiped away some forming tears with her good hand. “I’m sorry, you probably don’t even know what’s going on either...”

“Max told me a bit about what happened in Hoenn.” Ash said softly.

Mairin hiccuped. “Y-you know Max?”

“I traveled with him and his sister through Hoenn– over ten years ago now,” His gaze softened. “And you shouldn’t feel bad if you don’t feel ready to give Alain your full trust. Even if you two are married now, you don’t remember the experiences that pushed you to that point. And considering that he’s been keeping things from you...” He tilted his head. “Have you told anyone else about the dreams?”

She shook her head. “Only you.”

Ash laced his fingers together. “...I don’t know your full situation, Mairin. Even Max said little on what happened– all I know was that a Pokemon managed to take control and attack, and lives were lost because of that– and if you think that these dreams are glimpses of your past you should tell someone that knows more than I would,” He looked at her. “If you don’t want that person to be Alain, then choose someone else. But you shouldn’t have to face this alone.”

Mairin’s hand went to her belly. “...I’m not alone right now though.”

Ash’s eyes flickered to her pregnant stomach, then back up at her. He swallowed hard, then leaned forward. “Mairin... are you sure that the baby is okay?”

Her gut tightened. “As f-far as we know... why?”

Ash swallowed. “W-well... it’s her aura,” Ash said slowly, and Mairin stared at him. “It’s pretty dim...”

“I’m only a month along,” Mairin said. “She’s tiny right now.”

Ash heistated. “I don’t want to make you worry... but aura doesn’t grow brighter as a person grows. The intensity of aura is always the same, it only becomes larger as it grows alongside the body. A dim aura...” He hesitated. “I’m no doctor, but the only times I’ve seen a dim aura is when something is wrong.”

Mairin’s heart thumped. “A-alex didn’t land an attack anywhere near the baby...”

Ash closed his eyes. “Maybe the aura is just dim because you’re still recovering– yours is pretty dim as well– and perhaps it's just connected to yours right now.”

“Y-yeah,” Mairin said, grasping onto this idea. “We’re just both recovering!”

...But Luke had said that the baby’s aura was dim as well– and that had been before the attack.

“We’re just recovering,” Mairin whispered in an insisting tone, and Ash watched her with an unreadable gaze. “We’ll be fine.”

Ash reached out, giving her a small squeeze on the shoulder in what seemed to be a reassuring manner, but yet her heart was still thumping heavily in her chest.


	16. Chapter 16

Alex wished he could be in his Pokeball during the ride.

The back of the van was horrible to ride in, the slick metal bottom of his crate providing no traction as it bumped along the road. He slid across the cage, crashing into the edges whenever they came to a harsh stop. The Charmeleon let out an exhausted huff, a worn growl escaping his throat.

The League had been far from gentle loading him into here, and he had to guess that they wouldn't be gentle with unloading him either. If it had been any other time, he would have been bitter with Alain for letting these men take him away, but all the desire to fight had been drained out of Alex.

He only felt sick, hoping that the baby was okay.

He couldn't be like that monster... it had to be okay...

"Mel!" He cried as the van came to a sudden stop, and his head slammed against the metal bars of his crate.

He warily raised his head as the engine was turned off, and he could hear the voices of humans as they opened doors. His tail flame flickered nervously, casting shadows across the dark back of the van. The vehicle was designed to carry multiple cages and crates, but he was the only one in here at the moment. He could hear footsteps, and his head whipped up as the back of the van opened up.

"That's the Charmeleon?" A rough male voice said, and a flashlight was cast over him. "That thing's huge!"

"Doesn't look too fierce though, does it?" Another one asked, watching as Alex tucked his tail in close to his body, slinking to the back of his cage.

"Don't let looks deceive ya– this one's dangerous," Another voice said– and this one Alex recognized. It was the voice of one of the men that had loaded him in here at the lab. "It has a history of attacking humans, it just landed a pregnant woman in the hospital."

Alex flinched.

There was a sound of a Pokeball opening, and a large blue Pokemon took shape in front of the Charmeleon. The Golduck glared down at him, gem gleaming in the dark. "Give him a strong Disable."

Alex braced himself as the water type's gem began to glow red. The same glow surrounding Alex, and he felt his energy being drained from him. His eyes widened in fear, not quite sure of what this attack was supposed to do. He instinctively slunk to the back of the cage, opening his mouth as he prepared a Dragon Pulse. However, as he tried to summon the draconic energy, the red glow flared up around him again. It didn't hurt– but the energy he needed for the attack frizzled away before it could even form. He frowned, attempting a Fire Fang instead, but again the same thing happened– the energy draining away, smoke drifting from his mouth.

"Now, its attacks may be disabled, but this thing still has claws and fangs, so be careful," One of the men said, and soon the four men had surrounded the crate. They grabbed the handles lining the sides, and lifted him up into the air. Alex stumbled and tripped, landing at the bottom of the crate as he was jerked about.

He didn't bother forming another attack, guessing that from their conversation that none of them would work. He simply laid there, waiting to see where they'd take him.

"Does this thing have a mega stone?!" One of the men cried in alarm as they caught sight of the blue gem around its neck. Alex's claws instinctively wrapped around his mother's mega stone, a growl building up in his throat.

"It's not like it can do anything without evolving," Another said. "The trainer said that it helps keep him calm, which is what we need, especially if this one is going to have a chance of going back to its trainer."

It was dark outside as they walked him across a parking lot.

"The trainer wants it back? I heard the one it attacked was his wife."

Why wouldn't they stop talking...?

Soon the men carried him inside, and a mass of scents ran passed his nostrils. The warehouse seemed pretty big– but Alex was startled by how many Pokemon he could smell in just a couple of sniffs. Had the League deemed this many Pokemon as dangerous? Or perhaps many of them were simply guards of some kind?

"We're placing him in number 18," A voice said, and Alex was no longer caring about keeping track of which voice was which. He peered out of the bars, and found that there was many large cages and pens to hold Pokemon as they walked him in deeper. He knew that Pokeballs weren't an option here– the humans needed to be able to watch the Pokemon and see if there was any hope of then being returned to a trainer or to the wild.

"With another Pokemon?"

"He's only aggressive to select humans," They said. "The trainer said he would be fine with another Pokemon."

They walked on in silence– at least, the humans were– there were many calls and growls of Pokemon as they made their way through the facility. He stayed laying down, since it was impossible to stay balanced on the slick bottom of the crate. He wasn't sure how long they carried him, but soon he found himself being placed in front of a metal door.

They pressed the doors up against the metal bars, and lifted up the door of the crate. His heart pounded as the metal bars were raised as well– and at last he had a way out of here. He bolted to his feet, darting forward as fast as he could before they could lock him in here again. His feet hit straw and dirt, and he could hear the metal bars shutting behind him.

This enclosure was still a prison– but it was much larger than the cage. Large cement walls surrounded three of the four sides, and the last one was merely large metal bars separating him from the rest of the facility. On the back wall he could see a small window, offering a small glimpse of the cloudy night sky outside. He stretched out, muscles aching from the crate he had been locked in. He shook his head, neck cracking as he flexed.

He briefly glanced back at the humans that stood outside the bars. They were watching him with harsh eyes, locking the door. Alex didn't care– this place was larger than his room back home. His tail flicked, craning his head up to stare at the shadowy crevices of the towering ceiling as the humans left.

The place was dim– with so many new sights and smells. But yet, despite all the Pokemon he could smell in here, it seemed strangely quiet.

'A trespasser?' A voice hissed from the shadows, and Alex whipped his gaze about, in time to see a series of sparks coming from the shadows. 'On my territory?'

Alex snorted. 'You call this prison a territory?'

The sparks flared harder– and suddenly a green shape burst out of the shadows, surrounded in a veil of electricity. Alex tensed as the small shape sprang– the Spark attack hitting him in the chest. Before he could react the Pokemon was racing back into the shadows, and Alex lowered himself into a charging position.

It seemed that the Disable had faded, because Alex was able to surround his claws with a dark purple energy. He flexed the Shadow Claw, waiting for the Pokemon to come out. Again the green shape raced at him, this time surrounded in silver with a Quick Attack, and the Pokemon nailed him in the side.

The attack barely did a thing, and he lashed out with the Shadow Claw. The Pokemon was sent flying back as he struck, slamming into the wall. Alex studied him as the Pokemon rose to its feet, breathing heavily. Sparks came from its green coat, eyes gleaming in frustration.

The Electrike let out a low growl, and Alex formed a Dragon Pulse. The Electrike prepared a Charge Beam in response– the two rays of energy rushing at each other. They pulsed against each other as they met in the air, the attacks trying to get an edge over the other, until the much more powerful Dragon Pulse surged forward– engulfing the electric type in a burst of blue energy.

Alex let out a puff of smoke as his attack faded. 'Are you done attacking me?'

The Electrike pushed himself to his feet once more, fur slightly charred from the attack. He eyed Alex with a critical eye, and for a moment the Charmeleon expected another attack from the Pokemon. He tensed as the Electrike took a step forward, bracing for whatever move was to come next.

Instead the Electrike gave him a jagged grin. 'Awesome.'

Alex blinked at the moment. '...What?'

The Electrike darted towards him with a Quick Attack, and Alex naturally tensed, but the Pokemon didn't strike. He looked up at Alex as he came to a stop in front of him, that grin still on his face, sparks coming from him in excitement. His feet were prancing about, and he circled around Alex.

'What about what?' The Electrike asked. 'You're strong– and that's awesome!' The Electrike nodded. 'Yep– it's decided! You're going to be my friend.'

'Um, what?' Alex asked, blinking again.

The Electrike was heading back towards the shadowy part of their enclosure, glancing back at Alex. 'You're going to be my friend– the name's Lucas, by the way– and you're going to help me escape.'

Once again he blinked, trying to take in his attacker, well– "friend", apparently. Alex shook his head after a moment, letting out a huff of smoke through his nostrils. 'Do you even know how "friendship" works?'

'It's non-pack that works together!' Lucas said confidently. 'And since I'm no longer with my pack, I'll need a friend. You're strong, so you will do!' Alex followed the Electrike into the shadows, his tail flame lighting up the darker corners. 'The humans think they can cage the likes of me– hah!'

'...Are you wild?' Alex asked after a moment, the idea a bit strange to him, since he had lived with humans ever since he had hatched.

'I was born free!' Lucas said proudly. 'I was the strongest Electrike in all the pack!'

'Really?' Alex asked in a bit of a condescending tone– Lucas' attacks hadn't been that strong.

His fur bristled. 'Well... Dad was evolved– but that doesn't matter! I was going to defeat Dad in a battle when some trainer threw those Pokeball things at me! I was going to be alpha and they took that from me!' He grinned. 'Then they thought I'd obey them? Ha! Humans are stupid! They may have brought me here after I showed that human I'm alpha, but we're going to escape!'

'...And what makes you think I want to escape?' Alex asked, clawing at the dirt under their feet. 'I need to stay here so they can send me back to Alain– I need to make sure the baby is going to be okay.'

Lucas studied him. 'Taking care of the pups in the pack is important– so you definitely need to escape too!' The Electrike grinned. 'I've been digging, but your claws are a lot bigger than mine– you can dig more.'

He came to a stop in the very corner of their enclosure, where a pile of dirt could be seen hidden away in the shadows. Alex nudged it with his nose, the earth cool and fresh compared to the compacted soil on top. Memories rose in Alex's mind– Mairin, Bébé, and him digging in the greenhouse, planting young flowers in the earth...

He shook the thoughts from his mind before he could think on them too much. He moved from the pile of dug up dirt to the hole itself, sticking his head in it. The tunnel went perhaps two feet deep, and Alex pulled his head out. He had to guess the Electrike had been working on this for sometime– but he hadn't gotten far.

But for a Pokemon that couldn't learn Dig, he supposed this was an impressive start for digging through soil dirt.

'I don't think you can dig your way out,' Alex commented. 'Most human buildings are built on a foundation– you should hit cement sooner or later.'

'Dirt goes on forever, silly!' Lucas said happily. 'We're digging out of here– and you're going to help me!'

Alex closed his eyes, letting out a sigh, before sitting down. 'I'll think about it.'

'What! No– we're digging!' Lucas cried. 'I'm the alpha of the friendship! You have to do what I say!'

Alex cracked an eye open. 'I won our battle, didn't I? That makes me the alpha.'

'Wh-what? No fair! I want to be the alpha!' Lucas cried, and he began pawing at Alex as he curled up into a more comfortable position. He missed his blankets back home, but this would have to do. 'Get up! We have to dig! Wake up!'

Despite the situation he was in, Alex couldn't help but smile as the Electrike tried to get him up. He had been alone for so long, he had forgotten just what it was like to have someone by his side. He opened one eye again, watching as the green electric type attempted to have him "wake up" from his sudden nap, nudging him with his snout.

Alex reached out with his claws, grabbing the Electrike and brought him in close to his chest– something that many people had done to him when he was a Charmander. The Electrike's fur was stiff and rough against his scales, but Alex didn't care as he tucked the little Pokemon under his chin, using his arms to hold him in place as he laid back down. He wrapped his tail around his body, before laying his head down on the dirt.

'Wh-what are you doing?!' The Electrike cried in alarm.

'I'm the alpha of the friendship,' Alex said after a moment– not quite sure what he was doing– but having someone close just felt so comforting. 'And as alpha I say we nap.'

For a moment Lucas didn't replied, but then he pressed up against Alex, slowly relaxing.

'...Fine. But tomorrow  _I_  get to be alpha.'

* * *

 

" _And just how would you know what's best for Mairin– considering that you haven't seen her in years?"_

It took Mairin a moment to know just where she was– the room she was sitting in was completely unfamiliar to her. The arguing voices from the other room seemed to make her tense, and her only focus despite finding herself in this strange place. She was sitting on a chair, nestled against the back as if she somehow felt threatened.

She felt her heart thumping– because moments before she hadn't been anywhere like this. She had been in the now all-too-familiar desert, watching the painful nightmare take place as it always did. Had she woken up? How on earth had she gotten from the hospital to here?

But as Mairin found herself unable to move, she realized that this was simply another dream.

After so many nights of the desert, finding herself dreaming of a much more peaceful environment was almost strange. The room she was in was small– but clearly a nice place judging by the furniture around her. She wished she could look around, but her dream-self kept her gaze trained on her feet, body sitting there almost limply. However there was plenty to listen to due to the voices coming from the neighboring room.

" _I am her brother,"_ The second voice said haughtily. " _It is my responsibility to look after her, not some random man! Especially considering how you're taking advantage of her!"_

" _I would_ never  _do such a thing,"_  The first voice growled, one that Mairin recognized right away as Alain's. Mairin's thoughts stirred in confusion– she was quite sure that Alain had never met her brother before, she had a very distanced relationship with him– but judging by the conversation this would indeed be Justin. " _Don't you_ dare  _accuse me of that!"_

Justin snorted. " _Oh, so then it's perfectly normal to start dating someone who has literally shutdown– right after everything she's gone through,"_  There was a tense pause. " _She is not even in the state to take care of herself, so in what universe would she be in the state to be in a relationship?"_

Alain's voice was ragged. " _Don't you get it– she_  can  _take care of herself. You keep acting like she's lost her mind– but Mairin is still there! You think throwing her in some facility will make her better, but what she needs more than ever is to be in the world!"_  Alain's voice went quiet. " _She's still there... Mairin's still there..."_

Justin's voice was sharp. " _That is all I need to see– you're clearly under the illusion that she is somehow unaffected from what you were forced to face. Mairin is not you, able to walk away as if nothing happened, she is fragile. I know my sister, and I know that she needs professional help."_

" _And that I agree with,"_  Alain said in a strained voice, as if trying to keep himself from lashing out. " _She does need help– but not by being locked in some facility all day! You claim that you're trying to help her– but you're just abandoning her! Just like the rest of her so-called 'family'!"_  Alain's voice rose. " _Mairin is not weak– and you have no idea of what she went through! I was there, I watched it happened, I watched_ everything  _happen! Don't you dare claim to know Mairin went you won't even go in there and talk to her! I can take care of her, I will make sure that she can recover– and you can stay out of it!"_

Dream Mairin curled up a bit more, vision turning slightly blurry as tears entered her eyes. She made no effort to wipe them away, however she did at least move. Her hand went to her wrist, slowly tracing the white marks winding up her arm.

" _I did speak to her– and she gave me no reply,"_  Justin said shortly. " _I spent an afternoon with her, I watched her stare of at nothing, doing nothing of her own accord unless asked to. Perhaps you did care for Mairin, but Mairin is no longer there,"_  His tone became cold. " _While the rest our family may not wish to become involved, that is not the case with me. It is quite clear that Mairin is not in the state to be caring for herself, and so someone will be assigned to look after her and decide what will be done with her."_

" _She is not an item on a list to be checked off,"_  Alain snarled. " _I can take care of her– without locking her up!"_

" _And as her brother, I fail to see how any court would favor a random man over her own family,"_  Justin finished. " _I am going to ask you to leave now, and Mairin will be staying with me."_

Chills ran up dream Mairin's back, and she lifted her head. She stared at the doors from where the voices were coming from, blinking slowly. For a moment her hand moved slightly– before it fell back to her side.

" _...As you said, a conservator will probably be assigned to look after her..."_  Alain said slowly. " _But as of now she has no guardian. She is an adult, and can make her own decisions. She chose to come here with me, and I know she will choose to come back to the lab as well,"_  Alain's footsteps could be heard as he stormed towards the door. " _Oh, by the way, we will see who the court favors– because I'm not going to let you drag Mairin off to some facility without a fight."_

The door to the room was thrown open, and Mairin didn't flinch as Alain stomped out, fists curled. She did however, lift her gaze to look up at him as he approached, and at once his gaze softened. Blue eyes met amber, Mairin's empty gaze staring up at him.

" _I fail to see how she can 'choose' to go with you if she won't even speak– let alone make any effort to communicate,"_  Justin said from the doorway. His eyes were the same shade of amber as Mairin's– though sharp and brimming with emotion compared to her hollow gaze. His hair was a dark blond compared to her bright red, though just as wild and thick.

Alain's fists tightened, but he kept his gaze on Mairin, tone soft. " _Mairin, it's time to go home."_

Mairin watched him, blinking.

" _Mairin, are you ready to go back to the lab?"_  He asked, a look of uncertainty passing over his face. " _...Or... do you want to stay here with your brother?"_

" _Why do you care?"_  Her voice wasn't harsh or bitter in anyway– tone empty. She just looked up at Alain, waiting for an answer.

In the doorway Justin pulled back– clearly surprised to hear her speak.

" _Because I care about you,"_  Alain replied, looking as if he was use to this question. " _Do you want to go back to the lab?"_

Mairin's eyes flickered to the ground. " _I've done horrible things."_

Alain closed his eyes for a moment. " _Mairin, what happened wasn't your fault."_

" _I still did it,"_  She whispered, voice hollow, and tears entered her eyes. " _How can you stand being around me?"_

You could see the frustration in Alain's eyes, clearly wanted to hold any other conversation other than this one. He reached down, taking Mairin's hands into his, and looked into her eyes. She shifted to stare up at him, tears falling down her cheeks. Her face was expressionless, the tears simply falling. Mairin didn't know what to make of her dreamself's actions, or rather the lack of them.

" _Mairin, there is no one I care more for than you,"_  Alain replied, conviction in his voice. For the someone that was usually the quiet and distant one, it was startling to see him be the emotional one when compared to her dreamself. " _That is one thing you do not ever have to doubt– I am going to be here for every step here on out. I promise."_

Mairin stared at him for a moment longer, before at last giving a small nod.

His hands tightened around hers, and a gentle tug urged her to her feet. It took her a moment to find her balance, but the moment she had it she took shelter in Alain's chest, pressing up against him. He placed an arm around her, before glancing back at Justin.

" _I'm taking her back to the lab,"_  His voice left no room for argument.

Justin regarded them for a moment, before giving a curt nod. " _I can see for now that will be the best place for her– but I will make sure that she is taken somewhere that can properly take care of her."_

With that Justin turned, and Alain guided Mairin towards the front door. Dream Mairin's steps were heavy, her gaze lingering on the ground. Both arms were pressed up against Alain, clinging to his jacket as if something were going to take him away. Neither said a word as they stepped out of the apartment onto a deck. Alain's gaze flickered skyward, scanning the starry night sky warily, before gilding Mairin to the stairs.

" _Mairin,"_  Alain said softly. " _Why didn't you talk to your brother at all? You talk to the others at the lab..."_

" _I don't know what he wants,"_  Mairin whispered, and Alain seemed surprised at the swift reply.

" _He... he just wants to do what he thinks is right,"_  Alain said, teeth gritting together.

Mairin shook her head. " _He never tried to help me before."_

Alain glanced down at her, mouth opening, but he gave no reply. He simply pulled Mairin in close to him, the two of them slowly making their way down the street.

* * *

"...I didn't know it was possible for food to taste like cardboard," Mairin said slowly as she chewed on her breakfast– the hospital food tasting much worse than she thought possible.

But strangely enough, it didn't seem to trigger her morning sickness. 

"I'll see I can get you something better for lunch," Alain offered, eyeing her meal warily.

She gave him a forced smile, before bringing another bite up to her mouth. She was too hungry not to eat, but the so-called 'food' just didn't seem appealing. Fortunately for Mairin her right arm had been basically untouched by Alex, meaning she still had use of her dominant hand. Despite this she was slow to bring the fork to her mouth, and it didn't help that Alain was watching her. His eyes were lost in thought, but still that blue gaze was on her.

Alain had arrived sometime in the middle of the night, Mairin wasn't quite sure how that worked with visiting hours, but she was thankful that he had shaken her out of her most recent batch of dreams.

Alain hadn't seemed surprised at the fact that she had been having a nightmare, but he hadn't acted on edge about it either, and so Mairin wasn't sure if these strangely vivid dreams were something that took place before her amnesia had hit or not. Alain had only calmly asked what she had seen when he had awoken her from the nightmare, and had only nodded when she had said 'Alex'.

But the Charmeleon had only been in several small scenes in her dreams– but it seemed like the safest answer considering what had just happened.

Mairin set her fork down, her small appetite fleeing when her thoughts turned towards her dreams. The sensation of the desert sand under her feet sent chills up her back, the dark light of the Hyper Beam made her want to recoil. She pushed her tray of food away, trying to drown out the fear rising in her– a fear that she didn't even truly understand.

"Mairin, you need to eat," Alain said, and she glanced at him.

Neither had mentioned their conversation from yesterday, and Mairin wasn't quite sure if she wanted to continue it or not. The sorrow from what she had learned burned within her, the pain much worse than the injuries that Alex had left– and that part of her told her not to dwell on it. But... but she couldn't just ignore what she had been told.

She needed to mourn those who she had lost.

"I'm not hungry," Mairin muttered, looking away.

Alain hesitated. "Please? You need to build up your strength... just a few more bites?"

She shook her head. "If I eat anything else I'm going to throw up."

This was a lie– but Alain took it, clearing not wanting to trigger her morning sickness, and took the tray from her. Mairin stared blankly ahead at the wall, a thought itching at her mind. A new dream had entered her mind last night, and unlike most of the other ones she had experienced, this wasn't one full of fear or pain.

She bit her lip as she thought back on the conversation her brother and Alain had in her dream, before glancing Alain as he sat next to her. She still didn't know how true her theory of the dreams and trances being glimpses of the missing memories was, but like so many of the other ones it had felt so real...

She forced herself to speak up. "Does my family know I'm in the hospital?"

Alain tensed as she asked this, and she closed her eyes at this response. Alain let out a few mumbles, fumbling for an answer of some kind. Mairin didn't focus too much on his half attempts of an excuse, mostly trying to decide how this could tie in to the potential reality of her dream.

"Mairin, a lot of things have changed–"

She let out a sigh, but didn't want to leave Alain on the spot like this. "...My parents don't want anything to do with me, do they?" She asked quietly, and Alain fell silent. "I'm use to them not caring, Alain, you can just tell me."

"...Your parents made it quite clear they want no connection with you," Alain said.

"What about Justin?" Mairin asked– in the dream he had wanted to be the one to take care of her...

"After we announced that we were getting married he stopped talking to you," Alain said, his eyes flickering towards Mairin to see how she'd react. "He... he never approved of our relationship. Acted as if I was forcing you into it, even though that wasn't true..." He shook his head. "I want to say he cares about you, but I don't see how dropping everything shows that."

A sticky feeling settled into Mairin's chest, and she wasn't sure if it was about her brother or the fact that the dream seemed to line up with reality. "That's just how he is," Mairin whispered. "If he doesn't like something he doesn't try to fix it, he just tries to avoid it," Her throat felt tight. "What about Hope?"

Alain hesitated. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Just tell me," Mairin whispered.

Alain gritted his teeth. "...Justin doesn't want his daughter... interacting with you," Alain said quietly. "You haven't spoken to your niece in years."

"L-like we just haven't talked... or he wouldn't let me talk to her?"

"...The second one."

This made Mairin's eyes widen a bit– she had assumed it had just been Justin not talking to her– but hearing that he'd purposely keep Hope away felt different. Justin was the type of person to run away from problems and issues– but this was something else. An image of her little niece formed into her mind, which only felt more painful as she realized that Hope would be a completely different age than what she remembered.

Tears pricked Mairin's eyes, and she turned away. She heard Alain shifting, probably reaching out to grab her, and she shook her head. "I– I'm f-fine, I'm–" Her teeth gritted together. "It's pretty clear that I've only lost people in these last few years– I guess I should just be used to it!"

A hand grabbed her shoulder. "M-mairin– No, it isn't like that–" He fell silent for a moment, and Mairin refused to look at him. "I..." He swallowed. "I know we've lost friends... but good things have happened too..."

"Things I don't even remember and things you refuse to tell me," Amber eyes flashed at him. "When were you going to mention that Luke was a service Pokemon?"

He blinked. "Who told you that?"

"Ash."

She glared at Alain, but there was no tension or frustration as she had seen as of late. He only hesitated for a moment, his blue eyes full of concern. "I... I wasn't trying to keep that from you," Alain said. "I promise– I just never thought to mention it," He closed his eyes. "I could have brought him here, why didn't I think of that sooner...?" He gritted his teeth. "...I'm just messing everything up, aren't I?"

His hand tightened around her shoulder, and Mairin's glare slowly faded away as she saw his expression.

"...I wasn't trying to blame you," Mairin said swiftly, attempting to sit up slightly– only to sink back into bed when a wave of pain ran down her. "I was– I just–" Fresh tears stung her eyes. "I just have no idea of what to do!"

The words came out louder than she meant them– her sorrow and frustration spilling out. Tears ran down her cheeks, hands digging into the hospital bed as she attempted to calm herself. But too much had simply happened, too much pain and sorrow, and the tears refused to slow. Her amber eyes pressed shut, the pain of what she had lost coursing through her.

Her vision was a blurry mess when she opened her eyes again, and she dimly became aware of warm arms around her. It wasn't a full embrace– her injuries didn't allow for it– but the gentle hug was enough to somewhat pull her out of the consuming sorrow, a small hiccup escaping her.

"Please," Alain whispered. "Don't try to get through this on your own– I want to help you. I  _can_ help you."

"I don't even know how I should feel," Mairin whispered.

Alain slowly pulled away. "...You've been going through so much, and I'm partly to blame... but it's okay if you don't know what to do..."

Mairin froze up suddenly, a faint pressure forming in her head. Alain trailed, off, glancing at her as he saw her eyes widen. The pressure increased, a headache flaring to life, black spots dancing across her vision. She let out a whimper, eyes darting across a room in a panic. Outside the open door to her room she saw a young woman walking down the hallway, an Espeon at her heels.

"A-alain..." Mairin croaked, eyes widening as she felt flickers of pain running through her. She tried to clutch her head, but Alain swiftly seized her wrists, preventing her from jerking her injured arm. Her lips parted, but yet no words escaped her as the pain flared– her vision becoming engulfed in blackness.

* * *

"I swear, Kalosian words all sound the same..." Ash muttered, glancing down at the paper in his hands, then up at the restaurant in front of him. "Or maybe all these restaurant names just look the same...?" He tilted his head slightly. "But I do think this is it."

"Pika!" Pikachu said, tail flicking as he sat perched on Ash's shoulder.

Ash headed into the restaurant, pulling out his ID before they could inform him that he would need a reservation. While he never considered himself an expert with the high end places such as these, he had become very familiar with how they worked thanks to Serena. He ignored the glances several people were giving Pikachu as he was lead through the restaurant, simply scratching the mouse without a care towards what people thought of him being out. The waiter guided him out onto the private balcony he had reserved– and the waiter's eyes widened in surprise to see a young woman already sitting at the private table.

The waiter opened his mouth– and so Ash swiftly gave the woman a smile and a greeting before the waiter could question her to how she had gotten here– and Ash took his seat.

"Two specials," Ash said without even glancing at the menu. "And a bottle of ketchup, with three waters to drink."

"Um–" The waiter paused, looking slightly confused, before swiftly pulling out a pad of paper and pen to write down the orders. Ash did feel a bit bad for throwing this at the waiter suddenly, since most people took some time to settle on what to eat, but the waiter wasted no time in scribbling down the order. "Anything else, Monsieur Ketchum?"

Pikachu climbed onto Ash's head, looking at the waiter as Ash chuckled. "No, that will be all, thank you."

The waiter bowed, shooting one more confused glance at the woman across from Ash, but exiting the balcony. Pikachu grinned, before leaping off of Ash's head and down onto the table, waving at the girl happily. She smiled at Pikachu, before shifting her amber eyes towards Ash, tilting her head.

Ash let out a sigh. "I told you to meet me at the front of the restaurant."

'But seeing his reaction was funnier,' The girl said, grinning.

Ash raised an eyebrow. "And what if they had noticed you out here before they brought me here? They would have questioned you and then kicked you out. Heck– they probably will question you still– but fortunately the reservations Serena got are for two."

Ash looked as if he were going to say more, but before he could the waiter returned. The girl across from Ash tensed, a nervous whine coming from her, fingers uncertainly twirling her blue hair. The waiter didn't glance at her though, as he was only bringing them their drinks and the bottle of ketchup out on a tray. The delicate glasses were set in front of them, the waiter visibly flinching as Pikachu grabbed one happily. Finally the glass bottle of ketchup was set in the center of the table.

Pikachu's eyes lit up– and he pounced for the ketchup. He pawed at the lid– but this wasn't the cheap plastic containers he was used to. He looked up at the waiter, giving a low whine, coppery eyes sparkling. One uncertain glance was thrown Ash's way, before the waiter reached out and carefully twisted the cap off for Pikachu. The waiter gave another bow, before once again exiting the balcony.

Ash chuckled as Pikachu greedily began drinking from the ketchup bottle. "I don't think they're use to s like me," He took a sip of his water, before looking at the girl. "I see you've updated your guise– blue hair this time?"

She pulled her hands away from the cobalt blue hair. 'It's that time of year,' She said softly. 'I do it in honor of my brother.'

Ash lowered his head for a moment, nodding. Even Pikachu paused from his ketchup feast, giving the girl a sorrowful look, before bowing his own head. But with the ketchup smeared across his face the expression didn't look as somber as it was intended to be.

"Chu..."

'I am proud of what he did,' The girl said with a sad smile. 'Even if it was hard– it was many years ago– and there are many things in my life to be thankful for now.'

Ash smiled. "You're an amazing guardian, and you have a wonderful mate– you've made a good life for yourself," He closed his eyes for a moment, before sighing. "As great as it is to see you again though, we didn't plan this to chat– what exactly does your boss want me to do? I only understood the basics."

'He wants your help locating her with your aura powers,' The girl said. 'She's been coming and going for the last few years– too speedy for him to track– but for the first time in four years she's sticking to a general location.'

"And he's sure she's in Kalos?" Ash asked.

'Defintally. You may haven't notice because of the clouds– but her auroras are usually in the lighting sky. She's using them to warp her exact location– but your aura could pinpoint just where she is.'

Ash sighed. "Look, I really would love to help– but what I just can't wrap my mind around is why Rayquaza is so aggressive with wanting to find her– I thought he made peace with their kind years ago!"

'It is the individual he is concerned with, not the species,' The girl replied. 'This one–'

She was cut off as the doors swung open again, and two waiters came waltzing onto the balcony. Ash's hand twitched, but he only greeted the two waiters with smiles and thanks as they brought out the meal they had ordered. The presented the trays of food with a bit more flourish than Ash felt was necessary– though the food looked absolutely delicious.

"Use a fork," Ash said as the waiters left, the girl picking up her salad with her bare hands. "Remember– you look like a human right now."

She stuck her tongue out at Ash, and a glow surrounded her fork as it levitated up into her hand. 'Fine.'

"Anyways– what does Rayquaza have against this particular one that he feels the need to track her down?" Ash asked, taking a bite of his meal.

The girl sighed. 'A number of things, including an aggressive history– but most importantly is the fact that its carrying a disease. A very dangerous one.'

"...What disease...?" Ash asked.

'One not known to earth,' The girl replied. 'Slow developing– but highly contagious. Eats away at the host and is able to bypass regeneration and Recover. Lord Rayquaza has seen many examples of it killing its host, and has prevented infected ones from entering earth's atmosphere– but this one managed to get in twice now.'

"...If it's contagious, then why haven't we heard of it yet?" Ash asked in a tense voice. "Surely it has spread?"

'Contagious only within the one species– for now,' The girl said solemnly. 'Apart from Lord Rayquaza not wanting it to spread to the ones that have settled on earth, we're afraid it could mutate and spread to other Pokemon with space origins, or perhaps to other psychic types.'

Ash took in a deep breath. "...I see why Rayquaza is determined in finding her then, but Latias, I just think he's being too aggressive."

The apparent Latias shifted. 'It doesn't want to leave earth. Last time Lord Rayquaza encountered her she refused and a battle ensued– but she feld before a victor could be decided. Lord Rayquaza doesn't want to fight– but it's of the utmost importance we find her!'

Ash glanced at Pikachu– who was currently drawing smiley faces on the tablecloth with ketchup.

"...I have a friend that's familiar with the species," Ash said slowly after a few moments. "Studied them with Professor Birch for a time... Do you think we can meet within a week or so before I give you my answer? I want to help Rayquaza, but I also want to do this in the most humane way possible. Let me talk this over with my friend, and it'll give me some time to think this over."

Latias nodded. 'That's fine– a week is like minutes to Lord Rayquaza in his perception of time,' She tilted her head. 'Where should we meet?'

Ash smiled weakly. "Serena's the one that insisted I bring you here, but honestly I'm not fan of these fancy places... would it just be okay if you met me at my place? Maybe for Sunday dinner? Serena would be there, and you could bring your mate."

Latias' human form grinned. 'That sounds great! Though he'll be a bit grouchy about flying from Alto Mare to Kalos, I'll make sure he's there though!'

Ash grinned back. "Perfect. I'll dig up one of Brock's recipes to cook up."

She nodded, and then stood up. Perhaps it was a bit sudden, but Ash didn't seem surprised at all by her actions. The blue haired woman's image twisted– before the illusion faded away. In her place was a hovering red dragon with gleaming feathers. She drifted above the table, eyes glowing as her half eaten meal drifted up into the air.

"You know I could just get you a to-go container," Ash said.

Latias chuckled, shaking her head. 'I honestly don't seen the point with all the packaging you humans go through– this will be fine the way it is,' She drifted up into the air, before looking down at Ash and Pikachu. 'I'll see you on Sunday then?'

Ash swallowed a bite of food. "Yep. Have a safe flight home!"

Latias gave a content trill, before willing herself to become invisible. Ash could make out a faint outline of the dragon as she twisted the light around her, before rising up higher into air. He watched as the psychic type raced off of the balcony into the night, wondering just how he was going to explain her disappearance to the waiter.

He stuffed another bite of food into his mouth, before pulling out a cell phone. He scrolled through his contacts, selecting one. He held the phone up to his ear as it dialed, absentmindedly watching as Pikachu added details to his ketchup painting– his paws completely stained red.

"Hey Max, it's me," Ash said, leaning back in his chair. "Heh, yeah, it has been a while."

He paused, listening as Max said something.

"Yeah, I did hear about Mairin, me and Serena went to see her..." Ash trailed off, hesitating for a moment. "I was wondering if I could get some help from you– I'm a bit caught up in the 'legendary business' again, and I'd like to get it sorted before my wedding."

Pikachu darted over to Ash's plate, stealing several bits of food to add to his 'painting'.

"I just need some information," Ash said. "I know you don't work for Professor Birch anymore, but anything you could tell me could be really helpful..."

"Chu!" Pikachu said happily as he added several bits of lettuce to finish his masterpiece. Ash's eyes flickered towards the gray clouds that cloaked the sky, before they returned to the table. His fingers tapped against the tablecloth for a moment, before speaking to Max.

"What can you tell me about Deoxys?"


	17. Chapter 17

**** Mairin’s arms were burning.

Twisting red and green apprenatages held her in its embrace, heat radiating from its searing form. She couldn’t breath, her back bursting with the same pain as her limbs. It was impossible to describe, to even move. Blackness dotted her vision, blurring the night sky above, green auroras dancing across the void.

The silence was nearly as painful, her ears humming as she tried to scream. The desert sand was cool against her feet, but that sensation faded as she was slowly lifted into the air. The pain seemed to fade slightly– but the  _ thing _ holding her seemed to become stronger, slowly engulfing her. She attempted to struggle, to break free, but her efforts were useless against the being as it brought her in closer–

The sensation was shattered with a gasp– the scene around her shattering as she found herself being pulled back into reality. The pain was still there, but this time it was her head that felt like it was on fire. Her limbs were aching, and she was still captured in a powerful embrace.

But this grasp was gentle, holding her close. She felt a heart thundering against the chest she was pressed against, arms protectively cradling her. She sat there, her mind taking a moment through the fading headache to realize tears were falling down her face, and that shouts were echoing about her as she was held.

“There– you happy now?!” A female voice snarled in frustration.

“You shouldn’t have brought that  _ thing _ near here!” A male voice snarled back, the voice vibrating up from the chest she was pressed against.

“Ma’am,” A third voice interrupted, much quieter than the other two. “You were informed that psychic types were not allowed in this wing– I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to leave.”

“I already returned him to its Pokeball– and he’s already a Pokemon that complies with your size standard!” The female voice shouted.

“Your disregard for the rules you were given has lead to one of our patients being placed under physical stress– I will only ask you to leave once before I call security,” The voice said coolly. “Mr. Vide, I’m sorry for what happened– do I need to send up a doctor?”

“No,” The male voice said in a cold tone– whom Mairin was just starting to realize was Alain. “...Just get that woman out of here.”

There was a sound of a door shutting, and the muffled frustrated tone of the first female, that slowly faded. Mairin sat there in Alain’s arms, trembling, trying to comprehend what was happening. She could feel that her eyes were open, but yet all she was seeing was black. Her heart raced faster in a panic, and the arms around her managed to bring her in closer. Chills ran through her as she felt something warm being pressed against her forehead, and she wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling.

“A- a- a-” Mairin’s voice cracked as she tried to speak. “A-alain...?”

The warmth pulled away from her forehead, along with the strangely comforting feeling it brought. “Mairin, can you hear me?”

His voice was quiet, but yet you could hear the desperation.

“Alain, I can’t see anything,” Mairin whimpered. “What’s going on– I can’t see anything!”

His hands shifted to her shoulders, and she let out a small gasp of pain as they pressed against one of her wounds. “It’s okay, Mairin– I promise you that you’re okay. This happens when you’re around a psychic for long periods of time, please just relax–”

“I can’t see!”

Alain hesitated, and then pulled her back against his chest. She shivered as she felt the warmth being pressed back against her, this time on the top of her head. It didn’t take her long to realize she could feel Alain’s breath on her, washing over her in rhythm with his rising chest. She knew that he was close to her, head probably inches from hers... but his presence was calming...

She blinked, and within the blackness of her vision she could make could a red blur. A sugre of hope rose in her. She leaned against Alain, finding her wounds ached less this way, and simply allowed him to hold her. The warmth pulled away, and was once again pressed against her forehead. She kept blinking, her vision slowly returning.

Her world was still blurry, but she was able to make out the vague shape of Alain holding her– his shirt being the bright red she had seen. Her fingers dug into his shirt, and slowly Mairin became aware of just what the warmth she was feeling against her was. She let out a quiet squeak of surprise, and she felt Alain’s lips pulling away from her once more.

“Mairin?” He asked softly, tilting her head up to look at him. She could feel her cheeks heating up with the realization that he had been kissing her forehead. She could make out the fuzzy shape of his concerned blue eyes, and she wasn’t quite sure of what to say. Her head faintly throbbed with the remains of her headache. “You’re burning up, let me lay you down...”

She let out a hiss of pain as Alain pulled back– slowly leaning her back into her bed. Her head pressed against the pillows, his arms pulling away after he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. His hands found hers, his concerned face becoming clearer by the moment.

“W-were you k-kissing me?” Mairin asked in a small voice, tone higher pitched than usual, and Alain glanced away.

“I– that’s how I usually–” He gulped. “I... I didn’t know how else to pull you out of the trance– I’m sorry–!”

Mairin laid there, expression slightly blank. His wounds ached faintly as confusion rushed through her, not quite sure of what to make of what had just happened. The thought of him kissing her probably would have made her angry a few days ago– but right now she felt nothing but flustered. She tried to tell herself she had other things to focus on– she was in the hospital after all– and it hadn’t even been on the lips or anything!

Yet she only found herself going redder.

She felt like a child with her embarrassment, this was her husband after all, whether she remembered it or not. She was sure they had kissed many times before, even if the only things she recalled were small moments in her dreams...

Mairin frowned slightly at this thought, and racked her memories, trying to think of any moment she had ever been kissed. She had never dated anyone except for Alain, as far as she knew, so that should exclude anyone else. But yet she couldn’t even remember a moment her parents had so much as given her a kiss on the cheek.

“I... I didn't want you to go through that,” Alain whispered. “On top of everything else you didn't need a trance.”

“It f-fine,” Mairin whispered. “I can handle it...” She touched her head at where last of her headache throbbed. “It wasn’t as bad as last time...”

Alain’s eyes turned towards her. “What do you mean last time?”

She paused, remembering that Alain didn’t know of the trances she’d had since her amnesia. She hesitated for a moment, but his gaze was already locked on her. The defiant side of her told her not to tell, to let him know what it was like to have things kept from him– but she knew that’d get them nowhere. She simply took in a deep breath, sitting up slightly as she gathered her thoughts.

“...I had two trances on the day I told you I was pregnant,” Mairin said softly. “...Serena’s Delphox and Max’s Gardevoir triggered them.”

“And nobody told me this, why?” Alain asked, voice a slight growl.

Her hand pressed against her stomach. “...We had bigger things to worry about that day...”

Alain looked as if he were going to say more– Mairin could see him struggling to hold back his frustration. “What did you see during the trances– both today and then?”

Mairin felt her cheeks turning red again. “Um, so, are the things I see in the trances real memories, or...”

“Just tell me what you saw,” Alain said.

“...Just mostly these scars hurting,” She traced the white marks on her arms. “I couldn’t really see much else. And then, um...” Her cheeks flushed some more. “...There was one of us, er, kissing. On the lips.”

He let out a small sigh, relaxing in the slightest. “I’m sorry you had to feel the pain of your scars,” He said softly, and much to her relief he didn’t dwell on the kissing scene she had seen. “I’m going to talk to the hospital staff– either we’re going to make sure this won’t happen again, or I’m taking you back to the lab.”

“When I’m in this state?”

“All you need is rest right now– which you can do at home,” Alain replied, standing up. “I’d prefer to have a doctor nearby, but if being here means you have to suffer through these psychic headaches and trances, then I’m taking you home.”

He snapped his fingers, causing Mairin to flinch– and Weavile sped across the room. The dark type leapt up onto her bed, curling up at her feet. Alain’s Pokemon glanced at Mairin to make sure this was okay, before settling in. She still wished she had one of her own Pokemon here, but she was grateful that Weavile was here.

“I’ll be back soon,” Alain promised. “I’m not going to even leave the building– I just need to let the doctors know that there shouldn’t be another slip up with psychic types like earlier.”

“Don’t get mad at them,” Mairin said quietly. “It was that girl’s fault.”

He gave her a tight smile. “Yes, but they should have caught her before she was right outside of your doors,” He patted her shoulder. “You just get some rest.”

She nodded, watching him as he headed towards the door.

* * *

 

The remotely calm look on Alain’s face vanished as soon as he exited Mairin’s room.

No longer needing to put up a facade that all was alright, a scowl crawled onto his face, reflecting the frustration pulsing through him. His hands tightened into fists, his steps stiff as he headed down the hall. He barely noticed the people stepping to the side to avoid him– lost in his thoughts.

The woman with the Espeon was just the tip of the iceberg– the fact that she had just walked in there as if she owned the place making him angry enough. The fact that her arrogant attitude had resulted in his Mairin being in pain was even worse.

“Alain! Hey– Alain!”

He blinked once, barely registering that someone was calling his name. Alain glanced up, not even quite sure where in the hospital he had ended up with his angry pacing. Down the hall was Max, who was making his way towards Alain. In his hands were several papers, a look of worry plastered over his face. Alain stared at his labmate for a moment, before scowling.

“What do you want?” Alain asked with a growl as Max reached him, fumbling with his papers.

“I need to talk to you,” Max said, tapping the papers in his hands. “You see, I got a call from Ash, and– is everything alright?”

“Mairin went into a trance,” Alain said coldly. “I was on my way to talk to the doctors about how they manage this place.”

“Is Mairin okay?” Max asked, his look of worry deepening, and Alain snorted.

“I suppose she is,” He snapped. “Considering that she’s ‘used’ to the trances thanks to your Gardevoir– didn’t you say you had that thing under control?”

“I–”

“Mairin told me that she had two trances,” Alain snarled. “So would you care to explain why this wasn’t told to me!”

Max gritted his teeth, trying to keep himself calm as Alain towered over him. Several people passing by threw him and Alain concerned glances– but a simple glare convinced them all to keep walking. He crossed his arms, waiting for a reply from Max, who was uncertainly adjusting his glasses as he gathered his thoughts.

“Because we felt that was something Mairin should tell you,” Max replied, tucking his papers against his chest.

“Or maybe you should have told me– someone that has a full understanding of the situation– instead of leaving Mairin to deal with this on her own,” Alain snapped. “Especially considering that  _ your _ Gardevoir triggered one of them when you’re supposed to make sure she’s nowhere near Mairin!”

“Maybe that's why we didn’t tell you– because we knew you’d react this way!” Max cried.

Alain took a step towards him. “She’s my wife, and you and the professor shouldn't be keeping things from me!”

“Oh really?” Max growled. “I suppose that makes you the hypocrite, considering that you’ve been keeping things from Mairin! I think it’s a good thing she didn’t tell you until now!”

His eyes narrowed. “Well, if you’re here to visit Mairin, then why don’t you just leave? I don’t think she needs any visitors at the moment, especially one that has a psychic type that could burst out at any moment.”

Dark brown eyes glared up at him. “First of all, I didn’t even bring Gardevoir’s Pokeball with me,” Max then shoved the papers at Alain. “Second of all, I didn’t come here to talk to Mairin– I came to talk to  _ you.” _

Alain gingerly took the papers, glancing over them. His eyes widened slightly, and he swiftly shoved them back at Max. “I d-don’t want to see pictures of one of  _ them.” _

His voice was practically a hiss, body shaking at the image he had just seen. Max closed his eyes, tucking the papers under his arm so the image was out of sight. He placed his other hand on his hip, sighing.

“Then don’t look at it– but I still need to talk to you about it,” He ignored the way Alain stiffened. “Look, I recently got a call from Ash, and I think you need to hear this.”

“What about Ash?” Alain asked, tone still slightly tense.

“As you know, legendary Pokemon are a bit fond of him,” Max said, lowering his tone slightly so those walking pass them wouldn’t listen in. “And recently he got contacted by a few wanting his help... tracking down a Deoxys.”

Alain tensed at the name, fear coursing through his body at the one word. Images rose in his mind, memories he did his best to bury in the past. He had to mentally shove the thought of Charizard away from him, draw his mind away from the horrid last moments he had seen from her. Raise the mental barriers he had built up because of that... monster.

“I don’t care,” Alain whispered, closing his eyes. “I want nothing to do with it.”

“That’s not it,” Max said, swallowing slightly. “You see, Ash called me up since I have the most experience with them... he isn’t aware that a, er, Deoxys was the Pokemon in the... the desert though, but still he knows I studied them and–”

“Just get to the point,” Alain whispered.

“...He says the one he’s currently trying to find is here in Kalos,” Max said– and Alain’s eyes snapped open.

It was as if a bucket of freezing water had been dumped on him– a wave of cold rushing over him at these simple words. His eyes widened, the fear and surprise washing away any anger that had been there before. His breathing hitched for a moment, his mind unsure of how to process this new information.

Max took a step forward, hands held out in a calming manner. “Alain, they aren’t normally a dangerous species, I can promise you that,” He whispered quietly. “Often times their intentions are simply misunderstood, even when their actions can seem hostile–”

“Y-you’re saying that there’s one of them _ here?” _ Alain hissed.

“In Kalos– yes,” Max began, and Alain opened his mouth, only to be cut off. “I’m not telling you this to panic, this is most likely a completely different one. I just thought I should tell you, because since Mairin is so sensitive to psychic energy... well, I just don’t know how she’ll react to the energy of another Deoxys. I... I just want you to be careful and keep an eye on her, that’s all.”

“Where in Kalos is it?” Alain growled.

“I don’t know– and Ash doesn’t know I told you this, so don’t go pestering him,” Max said. “I just thought that you should know so you could be careful, that’s all. It’s unlikely that anything may come from this... but you know, just in case.”

Alain nodded weakly. “...Thank you, f-for telling me.”

“I need to get back to the lab,” Max said, turning to leave. “But please tell Mairin I say hi.”

* * *

 

Mairin let out a long sigh as she turned through the pages of the book, wondering if this was even worth her time. While the types of books she had asked for were broad, she hadn't been counting on the information in them to be broad as well.

“This one's a bust too,” Mairin said aloud, handing the book over to a waiting paw. The Lucario set the book aside, handing his trainer another one.

These last few days since her trance had been far from exciting ones, her days consisting of sleeping and talking around Alain, and reading whenever he left. Alain had brought Luke to the hospital, meaning he was able to awaken her from any nightmares.

She began pouring through the next book  the Lucario had handed her– one on Hoenn Pokemon and the environments they lived in. Serena had bookmarked the page about Absol and their mountain home.

Mairin was keeping her eye out for psychic types as turned through the pages, pausing on entries such as Spoink and Ralts. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, but still she kept searching.

She paused as she came to a section about route 111. She stared down at the page in front of her, chills racing though her as she stared at the images being offered to her.

A desert.

She had little idea on what had happened here, but her mind told her that this was the same place as in her dreams. Her mind screamed with fear, heart aching with sorrow. Her finger traced the page, realizing this was where she had lost so much, even if she couldn't remember.

“Lu...” Luke said softly, the Lucario sensing her shifting emotions.

“Psychic types,” Mairin muttered, quickly shifting her gaze to the section on the Pokemon that lived there.

Baltoy. Claydol.

Only two psychic types native to the desert, and neither of them seemed familiar or dangerous.

She snapped the book shut, letting out a long sigh.

“I don't think I'm going to get many answers like this,” She said, handing the book to Luke. “I need someone that can answer questions, not something that only makes me ask more.”

Mairin sat up a bit, her body having become more and more mobile each day. Luke took all the books, shoving them under her bed. The fighting type looked bored, and she felt bad that he was stuck with her. She was sure he desired adventure and battles, not sitting by a bed all day.

“Mrs. Vide?” A voice asked from the doorway, and it took Mairin a moment to realize they were addressing her.

“Um– yes?” She replied, looking up.

One of the nurses stood in the doorway. “I was just sent up to inform you that the doctors plan on releasing you from the hospital in a few days.”

“Oh,” Mairin said. “Okay.”

“You'll still need to rest and be careful with your injuries,” The nurse continued. “Your husband will be informed of the exact details and when you'll need to return for periodic check ups.”

She frowned. “And why don't you just tell me?”

The nurse smiled, as if this were a silly question. “You just rest, Mrs. Vide, I'm sure your dinner will be brought up soon.”

She sighed as the nurse left, wondering if they had been informed of her amnesia, and if that's why they acted... differently around her.

She told herself that this didn't matter, and that in a few days she'd be back in an actual familiar place. She'd be able to see all her Pokemon again, eat food that was actually edible, and not be stuck in a single room.

She turned her gaze towards the window, looking out at the rolling gray clouds. Muted gray light filtered in from the clouds, and she wished she could see the sun.

She stayed like this for some time, the pain from her wounds fading as long as she remained still. She felt Luke place a paw on her uninjured shoulder, and she closed her eyes for a moment. The boredom of the hospital was starting to get to her, and she wished that more people were here. Bonnie had come to visit her yesterday, and Alain was currently out buying some food so she wouldn’t have to eat the hospital’s so-called ‘meals’.

Mairin watched the clouds shift outside the window, wishing that she could be outside– even if it did look freezing cold. No matter how exhausted she was, staring at the white walls all day was nothing but miserable. She let out a long yawn, stretching as much as her body would allow.

A frown crossed her face when a flash of green caught her eye.

She stiffened– the flicker of green light gleaming from behind the clouds as the wind shifted them. A quiver ran through her body, a headache pricking at her head. Luke turned to face her, eyes alert and full of worry as she cringed in pain.

And then as quickly as it had come, the headache eased away.

Mairin shivered as the sensation passed– staring at the mass of clouds where she had seen the light. There was no hint that anything had been there, just the gray clouds without a hint of green. Part of her wondered if she had imagined the situation– except for this same thing had happened before– at the park with Alain. The same brief glow, and the sensation as if a trance were about to happen.

She laid there in bed, one had clamped against her forehead, sweat forming on her skin as Luke tried to calm her. Her heart was pounding, confusion running through her.

“What’s happening to me?” Mairin whispered.


	18. Chapter 18

Alex sighed as his claws dug at the dirt.

He still wasn't quite sure how he had let Lucas convince him that trying to tunnel out was a good idea– because the Charmeleon knew quite well that you couldn't dig your way out of a building. However here he was, claws pawing at the compacted soil as he tried to claw his way deeper.

He was currently about four feet deep, and the earth was only getting harder the farther he down he went. His tail flames were the only light in the shadowy corner of their enclosure, but on the bright side the shadows did hide their hole from the humans. Lucas was keeping watch for any sign of their keepers as he dug, and also spreading out the dirt Alex was digging up in an attempt to make things looked undisturbed as possible.

'This is stupid,' Alex declared after several more minutes of digging, peering out of the hole. 'Even if we could dig out of here do you know how long it would take to make such a tunnel?'

Lucas was currently laying in the dirt, half asleep. The Electrike lifted his head as Alex spoke, before laying back down, stretching out.

'I am the alpha for today,' Lucas declared. 'And today we work on the tunnel!'

The Electrike type had decided that they'd switch off every other day being the "alpha of the friendship", and Alex wasn't quite sure why he was playing along. He was stronger than the canine– and could win any fight for leadership with ease! In fact, he technically already had, with their first fight from when he first arrived here several days prior!

'Well then,  _Alpha_ ,' Alex said, making no effort to keep the sarcasm out of his voice as he jumped out of the hole. 'I'm going to take a break.'

'W-wait– what?' Lucas cried, sitting up in alarm. 'No! You gotta keep digging!'

Alex grinned, slowly approaching the Electrike. He took up an aggressive position as if hoping to scare Alex back into digging, fur up and bristled as he growled, sparks coming from him. The little Pokemon looked more cute than intimidating however, and Alex simply lean down and grabbed him by his scruff, setting him aside before he could even release an electric type move.

The Charmeleon stretched out, sinking down onto the dirt ground, right where Lucas had been laying. Honestly, he didn't care where he was, but it was definitely funnier to take his "alpha's" spot. He let out a content sigh, flexing his claws in hopes of getting the dirt out from between them.

'H-hey! I was there first!' Lucas cried, slamming into his side with a Quick Attack. When that failed to make Alex move the Electrike switched over to a Thunder Fang, biting down onto Alex's arm. The fire type flinched, opening his silver eyes to glare at the green canine.

'...You know too many electric type moves,' Alex said after a moment of thought, yawning. 'If you ran into a ground type all you'd have is Quick Attack, which won't win you a battle on its own,' Alex laughed. 'And if it was ghost type too, then you'd have nothing!'

'...What?' Lucas asked, pausing from his attacks. 'Types what?'

The Charmeleon lifted up his head. 'You do know about types, right? I'm fire, and you're electric? Your moves reflect that?'

'Well, yeah,' The Electrike said, sparking his fur. 'I use lightning like the rest of my pack. But what does ground Pokemon have to do with anything? I just zap my enemies until I fall! I mean– until they fall!'

Alex blinked, realizing that a wild Pokemon probably wouldn't have a good idea of how all of the types matched up. They trained to survive, not for battles like human-raised Pokemon did. They probably didn't need to know every little matchup there was– because why would a wild electric type care about something small, like poison resisting fighting type moves? It had nothing to do with them.

But shouldn't he at least know the basics of his own type? Like that against a ground type his electric moves would be useless?

'Ground type Pokemon are immune to electric moves,' Alex explained. 'And ghost are immune to normal. If those are the only types of moves you have then you can't damage them.'

Lucas blinked at this, sitting down in thought. He tilted his head slightly. 'Oh. That'd explain why I could never hurt the rock Pokemon in that cave back at home.'

'Rock types aren't immune to electric types,' Alex said. ' _Ground_   _types_  are.'

'Then why couldn't I hurt the Geodudes with lightning? They're rock Pokemon,' Lucas said.

'Well, they're ground types too!'

'Too complicated,' Lucas said after a moment of thought, flicking his tail in dismissal. 'What does matter though, is the idea of other moves,' His eyes gleamed, and he took a step towards Alex. 'Can you teach me a move that can hurt the rock Pokemon?'

Alex glared at him. 'Moves that can hurt  _ground_  types.'

'...A move that can hurt a Pokemon made out of earth...' Lucas said after a moment of thought– clearly not about to say anything that would suggest that he had been wrong, and Alex sighed. But teaching a move did sound much more fun than digging a hole, or even sleeping, since that was basically all he did at home.

He studied the Pokemon, wondering just what move he could teach him though. His claws were way to small to learn a scratching based move like Shadow Claw, and he knew that a non-dragon-like Pokemon would probably have no chance of learning Dragon Pulse.

But Lucas did have a strong looking jaw, and he already knew Thunder Fang.

Alex's teeth lit up with flames, the Fire Fang forming as he launched himself towards Lucas. The electric type yelped, leaping back as Alex crunched down on where he had been moments before. Smoke curled up from the Charmeleon's jaw as he rose to his feet, stretching out as the Electrike trembled in surprise.

'I will teach you Fire Fang,' Alex said. 'You already should have the basics down, your Thunder Fang wasn't half bad after all. I just need to teach you how to summon fire, and teaching you that could be useful for me as well since I've been trying to learn a new fire move for a while now.'

'What move?' Lucas asked, bouncing forward excitedly. 'I wanna learn that one!'

Alex held his head up proudly. 'It's only a move certain fire types can learn,' The Charmeleon said with an air of importance. 'It requires vigorous training– it's a man-made move, not natural. Mother always told me that if I could learn it then I could learn the even more powerful Blast Burn too.'

'Show me the move!' Lucas demanded.

Alex pulled back slightly. 'I, um, haven't fully mastered it yet.'

'Show me!'

The Charmeleon sighed, before turning to face the wall. He closed his eyes, concentrating on heating up his body. He knew how to breath fire, but forming it outside of his body took a lot more effort. He focused on his tail flame, trying to will the embers to spread across his body. He could feel his scales heating up, and he curled his claws into a fist, trying to draw all of his fire energy to a single point.

A burst of fire surrounded his claws, the mass of fire surging up in size, before exploding as it formed. The force of the energy being released knocked him to the ground, a grunt of pain escaping him as the flames surged up around him. The flames only lasted for a moment, dying as quickly as the energy had flared out, smoke drifting up towards the ceiling.

Alex heard Lucas coughing on the smoke, but as a fire type Alex was fine with the smoke. He struggled to his feet, a sinking feeling in his chest knowing that he had failed again. As the smoke cleared he could see Lucas grinning at him, looking very pleased.

'Awesome,' He breathed. 'What move was that?'

'It was supposed to be Fire Pledge,' Alex muttered, looking away. 'I'm supposed to form a bunch of fire, and then you strike the ground. Then a huge column of flames rushing towards your target, and engulfs them in a pillar of fire,' He sighed. 'But I can never get it to work.'

'Who cares– that was awesome!' Lucas cried. 'I want to learn it!'

Alex scowled. 'I already told you, only certain Pokemon can learn it– and you're not one of them,' He huffed. 'Besides, if I don't have it mastered then how can I teach it to you? I'll show you how to use Fire Fang, but nothing else.'

Lucas let out a frustrated growl, but Alex simply glared at him. The Electrike pulled back slightly, before looking away.

'...Fine,' He muttered. 'Teach me Fire Fang...'

He let out a sigh, before glancing at the bars. He was surprised that no humans had come by to see what the explosion was. He stared for a moment longer, before shrugging and returning his attention down to the small canine at his feet.  
  


 

* * *

"Mairin jump– Mairin you gotta have him jump–!"

Mairin swore she was smashing the jump button, but yet the little character on screen stayed in place as it was blasted with an attack– her health bar falling to zero.

"I was jumping!" Mairin protested, letting the controls fall into her lap. "I was pressing the jump button– I shouldn't have died!"

Max grinned at her, the screen fading to black as the video game took them to their last spawn point. "You were pressing the A button– B is the jump button."

She glanced down at her controls, before realizing her mistake. "Oh... sorry. I really haven't played this game before, at least, I don't think I have."

"You haven't," Max confirmed, his focus returning to the TV. Mairin picked up her controls, guiding her character after Max's. "But you have watched me play this game many times before. Okay, remember to keep your aura bar high– we're going to need it for the next boss battle– Registeel."

"Easy enough," Mairin replied, pressing the jump button a few times to make sure she was pressing the right key, the digital Lucario on screen jumping in response. "We have the type advantage."

Max's 'Sir Aaron' character swung his staff at an attacking glob of energy. "We actually do for all of the bosses– all of the Regis are weak to fighting types. Something you think the Tree of Beginning would have figured out."

Mairin grinned, charging an Aura Sphere before releasing it. "It's just a story Max, I mean, this whole game is based off of that movie that Ash and Serena were in– which I still want to see, by the way– if you have a problem with the characters you should complain to the director."

"...The Tree of Beginning is a real place," Max said quietly. "I've been there– and there really are golems guarding it."

"Cool," Mairin said, gritting her teeth as her shoulder flared up in pain, but she simply focused on attacking an Aerodactyl-shaped glob with another Aura Sphere. "What was it like– woah!"

Lucario sudden sped across the screen, so quickly that it looked like his character had teleported.

"Nice, you've unlocked Extreme Speed," Max said. "Definitely one of the better moves– I usually play as Lucario and I use it all the time. If you're on low health you can use it to get away, and it can deliver decent damage as well. Press the R and L keys at the same time to use it."

"Um, okay," Mairin said, looking down at the controls to find the buttons Max was talking about. As she did so one of the enemy globs attacked her. She yelped as she heard her health going down, but fortunately Max had Sir Aaron move in to cover Lucario, an aura shield covering them. "Sorry..."

"You're good," Max said with a grin. "It's fun to have someone to play with. Bonnie will play with me, but she's not over here that often," He glanced off to his left. "And then Alain will never play with me."

Their gazes turned towards the dark haired man in the corner, who was taking a sip of his coffee. Alain glanced up as they looked at him, sighed, then returned to reading the book he had in his hands. Mairin chuckled at this, her gaze swiftly returning to the screen to make sure she wasn't attacked again.

"You should play, Alain," Mairin said. "It's a pretty fun game."

"Queen Rin's character is still available," Max said with a grin. "I think she'd suit you perfectly~ She even has a fire type like you, a beautiful shiny Ninetales, and–"

"Max, shut up," Alain said, not looking up from his book. Ruby was curled up at his feet, the Absol fast asleep.

"Be nice," Mairin chided, eyes still on the TV. "And he's right, you should lighten up a bit, and have some fun."

"This is fun," Alain replied, turning a page in his book. "And if anything, you should be resting. You just got out of the hospital a few days ago, you don't want to stress your body more than it has been."

She grinned. "I'm playing a video game, I am resting."

"Aura crystal up ahead," Max said, drawing her attention back to the game. "That means a checkpoint! I think Registeel should be right after this, if I'm remembering right."

Their characters touched the giant blue crystal, their health bar and aura energy bar rising to full. Mairin leaned back against the couch as Max saved their game, flexing her fingers. She wasn't use to holding the controller, so her hands felt a bit stiff. But the game was fun, and it helped take her focus away from the pain of her wounds.

"We good to go?" Mairin asked as they saved at the checkpoint.

"Yep," Max said, having Sir Aaron move across the screen. "You'll want to stick with Aura Sphere and Bone Rush for this fight– Bullet Punch will be useless. Extreme Speed won't do much either, but it will be useful for dodging attacks," He sat up a bit. "This Registeel knows Shockwave, so the only way to avoid being hit by that is to be behind Aaron's aura shields, so if Registeel starts to spark get behind my character."

Mairin tried to listen, but she was still new to the concepts of the game. She did understand Pokemon battling, but having that format in a video game was different than a real battle. She tried to have Lucario follow after Aaron, but she discovered she had no control over the character– it was a cutscene.

The camera dramatically panned over Registeel, and Mairin blinked, the graphics looking much more realistic than the video game so far. As the screen panned over Sir Aaron though, and she saw the familiar gaze of Ash. That's when she realized that this wasn't video game graphics– it must be a clip from the movie.

She knew that most movies used Zoroark illusions when it came to legendaries– but man did that Registeel look real!

"It always goes straight for an Iron Head," Max advised. "Be ready."

As Max promised, the Registeel's form began to gleam silver– rushing straight at Sir Aaron. Max's face was calm, fingers flying across the controls as he had his character form an aura shield. The steel type legendary slammed into the shield, and Max followed up with an Aura Sphere. He glanced briefly at Mairin, and then she remembered she should be fighting as well.

A loud ringing filled the room as she had Lucario slam a Bone Rush into the Registeel. Alain pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, glancing at the number. He blinked, closing his book and setting it aside. He pushed himself to his feet, heading towards the door, careful not to disturb Ruby as he did so.

"I need to take this," He said, sliding off his reading glasses as he answered the phone. "Hello? Yes, this is Alain..."

Mairin glanced over her shoulder as he left, before returning her gaze to the TV. Max's gaze was locked on the TV as well, brown eyes narrowed behind his glasses, his whole focus on the game. He was definitely experienced at the game, guiding his character through the boss fight with ease.

"Mairin, cover me," He said, throwing up an aura shield as the battle continued. Mairin nodded, though he couldn't see this, moving her Lucario in closer to strike with a Bone Rush. She grinned as Lucario landed all five hits, before she swiftly had him retreat from a Hammer Arm with an Extreme Speed.

"It has a lot of hit points, doesn't it?" Mairin commented, used to having their foes fall by now, but the Registeel was still standing.

"Wouldn't be a boss fight if it was easy," Max said, a small grin on his face as he blocked another attack. "I should be Sir Aaron more often, having a force shield is nice."

"Um," Mairin began, trying to both talk and battle at the same time. "Who do you usually play?"

"Lucario," Max replied, slamming Aaron's staff against the Registeel. "He's my favorite character... I guess you can say I have a personal history."

"Oh," Mairin said. "Sorry I took your favorite."

Max laughed. "It's just a game, I'll survive. Besides, playing as Aaron is pretty fun," He paused. "Here comes the Shock Wave– get behind me."

She had Lucario jump over towards Aaron, and Max formed an aura shield just as a burst of electricity was released from the iron golem. Mairin charged an Aura Sphere, releasing the burst of energy out at the titan. It staggered back, health approaching half. Her fingers were feeling a bit stiff, her burns from Alex hurting as well, but she stayed silent.

"Let's combo an attack," Max said.

"How?"

"Charge an Aura Sphere and press the C button," Max replied, forming an Aura Sphere of his own on screen. Mairin mimicked him, a glow surrounding the two characters as soon as she pressed 'C'. The twin Aura Spheres began to grow, the glow becoming brighter.

" _Focus Blast,"_  A deep voice echoed from the TV speakers, and Mairin had to stiffen a laugh at the voice. The two Aura Spheres merged, surging into a giant blue pulsing orb, the Focus Blast being launched at the Registeel– sending the titan flying across the screen. The attack took a fourth of its health, causing Max to let out a cheer.

"Come on, let's finish it off before it can heal," Max said, leaning forward eagerly.

"It can heal?!" Mairin cried.

"If you don't defeat him quickly enough," Max replied, having Sir Aaron charge forward with his staff raised.

Mairin quickly flexed her fingers, before swiftly rejoining the fight. She wasn't as engrossed with the game as Max was, but she still had a smile on her face as they played on. While she didn't remember how she met Max, she just found she was always so much happier around him. He was just so genuine, and she simply knew that he was her friend.

"Come on..." Max whispered, leaning forward eagerly as they brought the Registeel's health down into the red. Mairin couldn't do the same, it was easier to just stay still because of her injuries. "We don't have enough aura to combo again... um– use the rest of your aura to use Heal Pulse on Aaron– if I faint there's no way we're going to win this."

"I won't be able to use Aura Sphere again if I do," Mairin said, hesitating to lose her only ranged move. She wasn't the best at fighting in close combat, since she wasn't that great at dodging.

"I know, but Bone Rush should be enough for this fight," Max replied, blocking a Hammer Arm with an aura shield. "Just do it– Heal Pulse is the L and A keys."

She glanced down at her controller, doing as Max asked. Her aura bar fell to zero as the Heal Pulse was released, but his health bar began to rise. Max grinned, clearly more confident to get closer to the Registeel now that he could take some hits. He had Aaron swing his staff as he charged, starting to chip away at the last of the steel type's health. Mairin had her Lucario character form a Bone Rush, but she lingered back, not wanting to get in Max's way.

As an Iron Head hit Max she decided now was her time to charge in, the Bone Rush striking three types as she attacked. Registeel turned to face her, a Hyper Beam surging to life in front of him. Mairin yelped, barely managing to remember the buttons for Extreme Speed– rushing away moments before the move would have hit her.

"Perfect," Max said. "It has to recharge now– come on– attack!"

She guided the Lucario in for another Bone Rush, while Max used his remaining amount of aura to launch two Aura Spheres. There was only a sliver of its health left as Mairin struck with the Bone Rush, the glowing rod striking four times. On the final blow the Registeel's health fell to zero, the mighty golem staggering to the ground.

"Nice Mairin!" Max cried. "You defeated the first boss!"

She let the controller fall into her lap. "Heh... you did most of the work..."

"But I've been playing this game for ages, and this is your first time playing," Max said, grinning. "It took me three tries to defeat Registeel the first time I played– you were awesome!"

"Thanks," Mairin said, knowing that she would have lost if Max hadn't been playing as well. "Um, is it okay if we stop here? I'm pretty tired..."

"Of course," Max said, saving the game. "We've been going for a while anyways– I'm sure Sycamore is going to drag me off to help with dinner soon anyways. Are you going to eat with us again tonight?"

"Yeah, my morning sickness hasn't acted out since I've gotten home from the hospital," Mairin said, leaning back against the couch. "You don't know how nice it is to just be able to eat now, you know?"

Max was about to reply– but a loud thump from upstairs cut him off. Silence settled in the lab for a moment, everyone looking up. Even Ruby raised her head from her nap, a look of concern in her eyes. No sound followed the thump, and Max gave an uncertain smile.

"Alain must have knocked something over," Max said, standing up to turn off the TV.

Mairin didn't reply, her gaze on Ruby. The Absol was completely tense, her expression unreadable as she dug her claws into the carpet. Her namesake eyes were wide, a nervous look slowly crossing her face. Mairin sat up a bit, gaze still locked on the dark type as she did so.

"Ruby?" She asked quietly. "Is everything okay?"

The Absol looked at her, giving a low whimper.

The door opened to the TV room, and Mairin looked up expecting to see Alain, but instead Professor Sycamore entered. The man had a gentle smile on his face, nodding at Mairin once, before turning his attention to Max. "Can you come help the girls with dinner?"

Max flashed Mairin a smile, before looking at the professor. "Of course, sir, what are we having tonight?"

"Pulled pork sandwiches," He replied. "They have most of it done, but the more hands we have the sooner we can eat. Are you going to join us tonight?"

"Um–" It took her a moment to realize the question was for her. "Uh, yeah, I am. Just count me in from now on, Professor. Is there anything I can do to help."

"You can stay in here and rest," Sycamore said, crossing his arms. "And don't say it doesn't hurt as much, no matter how true that is your body still needs plenty of rest."

"And I can rest and help," Mairin said, pushing herself to her feet. This caused the boys to flinch, Max stepping towards her nervously. While her body did flare up in pain, it faded just as quickly. "It doesn't have to be something big– just let me help! You guys have been doing everything for me!"

Before any reply could be formed the door swung open once more, and Professor Sycamore glanced over his shoulder. "Ah, Alain, my boy– could you please explain to your wife that she needs to rest–" He suddenly paused, concern washing over the professor's face. "Is everything alright?"

Alain stood in the doorway, gaze slightly distant. He didn't reply right off, skin pale, eyes sweeping across the room. Mairin frowned as she watched him, his head hung low as he looked at them. His piercing blue eyes settled on her, and her stomach twisted when she saw the look on his face. Alain looked away, mouth opening, but it took several moments for any words to form.

"I... I need to talk to Mairin," Alain whispered, voice shaking, gaze slipping down to the ground.

"Is everything okay?" Professor Sycamore asked again, taking a step towards Alain, who looked away.

"I just need to talk to her," He muttered. "Alone," Mairin took a few heistent steps towards him. He glanced at her, before turning and heading towards the door. She stood there for a moment, before realizing he probably meant for her to follow him, and she stumbled after him. She could feel Max and the professor watching them as they left, but she didn't glance back.

Alain was silent as he headed through the lab, and Mairin wasn't quite sure how to break that silence. He paused at the end of the hallway, waiting for her to catch up, before once again heading down the hall. He refused to look at her, which only made her insides twist.

"...Alain?"

"I'd rather talk about this when we're alone," He whispered, turning to climb up the stairs.

She placed her hand on the rail, going upstairs being the last thing she wanted to do. Going up the steps only made her wounds hurt, and she was sure that he'd take her elsewhere if she mentioned this, but she didn't want to press him when he was like this. She took in a deep breath, before following after him. Silence lingered around them as they went through the lab, Alain not saying a word until they came to a stop outside of his room. He paused, hesitating, before glancing at her.

"Is it okay if we talk in here?" He asked.

"...Yes?" Mairin said uncertainly, and he pushed the door open.

Not much had changed since she had last been in his room– all of her stuff had been officially moved to her current room a while ago now, the only sign that the two of them had once shared this room was her empty half of the closet. He closed the door behind them as they entered, pressing up against the wood, a slight tremble in his body.

"Alain, is everything okay?" She asked in a hushed voice, and he turned to face her.

There were tears in his eyes.

"Alain...?"

"Mairin, that phone call I got, it was from the d-doctors," He said quietly, taking a few steps towards her, and she frowned.

"The hospital said I was fine," Mairin said uncertainly, but her words did nothing to lessen the tension in the room. He took in a ragged breath, clearly trying to keep himself composed as he spoke.

"It wasn't about you..." He began uncertainly, his eyes locked on hers. "...Do you remember h-how I told you that they ran some tests on the b-baby...?"

A wave of cold washed over Mairin.

"Y-yes?" She whispered, a sense of dread running through her. She told herself that everything was okay. None of her injuries had been near the baby, everything was just fine...

"Th-they got the results back," He whispered, and he swallowed. "M-mairin, it... it isn't g-good..."

Her heart was hammering in her chest, Alain's words echoing in her mind. She shook her head, taking a step back. "Alex's attacks didn't land near her," Mairin whispered. "Th-that's what you said! She sh-should be fine–!"

"It wasn't the attack," Alain whispered, reaching for her. "Mairin, the baby isn't developing right... they said its a genetic defect, she's–"

She stumbled back as he spoke, swiftly turning away from him as she took in these words. Alain fell silent, and Mairin's arms wrapped around herself, staring at the floor, heart thumping loudly in her chest. A genetic defect... a birth defect of some kind...

"I... I don't care..." Mairin whispered, hands going to her stomach. "It's my b-baby, that doesn't matter, she's still my baby... I don't care if something's 'wrong' with her– she's still just a baby!"

Alain's hands grabbed her shoulders, and she could feel his trembling fingers. "Mairin, she's not growing enough..." Alain whispered. "Th-they said her body won't be strong enough to support itself and... a-and..." His voice cracked, and she knew he was crying. "And she probably won't live past f-four months in the w-womb and... and..." A sob escaped him. "I'm s-sorry, I–"

Tears were running down Mairin's face, but she was barely even aware of them, her vision blurring. They pooled in her eyes, no words able to escape her as she stood there. Her body was slowly starting to shake, fear thundering through her as she tried to take in what Alain had just told her. Her baby...

Her baby...

After everything she had lost, she was going to lose her baby as well.

"N-no..." Mairin whispered, chest aching. "N-no, they must be mistaken? Th-this isn't happening, this isn't..."

She didn't say anything else, sobs escaping her. She hunched over, shaking harder as the tears came faster. Alain pulled her into a hug, trying to offer some comfort as she broke down. She grabbed Alain's hands, trembling and twisting in his grasp. She spun around to face him, burying her head into his chest, hands grabbing his shirt. The sorrow was burning, making her chest ache, and everything in her screamed.

Alain was safe, Alain was warm, Alain was  _there._  She had to get closer, but yet the pain wasn't going away. He was crying too, she felt his tears as he buried his head into her hair, arms pressed against her in a desperation. Her baby... this wasn't supposed to be happening... not to her baby, not to the innocent child inside of her...

Somehow her sobs became louder, even more painful as they were forced from her. Her body was crying with a sorrow she had never knew before– but yet it felt so familiar. Her muscles were making no effort to support her, simply going weak in Alain's arms, and he gently set her on the bed, his grasp never loosening. It was terrifying how familiar all this was, how her mind whispered that she had been like this before.

The pain hurt, it hurt far more than the wounds Alex had left.

A child–  _her child–_  was dying.

And there wasn't a thing she could do.

* * *

Mairin woke up feeling heavy.

Each breath was painful as she laid there, chest aching as she was slowly drawn out of her sleep, eyes remaining closed. A pair of warm arms were wrapped tightly around her, holding her close in almost a desperation. Her head was pressed up against a chest, where she could hear a familiar heartbeat thumping.

Perhaps a part of her should have been panicked, wondering how she had gotten into such an embrace, but there was only an empty look in her eyes as they fluttered open. She stared at Alain's shirt, one of her hands grasping the material so tightly that her knuckles were white. She blinked slowly, turning away as she took in her surroundings. The sun was coming in through the window, lighting up Alain's room. The sight was a gentle one, a peaceful one, one that should have been happy.

But there was simply an ache in her chest.

She blinked once, slowly remembering Alain holding her yesterday, cradling her long after her tears had run dry. They must have been up here for hours, but neither of them had wanted to go downstairs, neither of them had the will to move from the safety of the other's arms...

The baby.

The single thought was like a knife– piercing straight into her aching chest with deadly accuracy. Despite the dryness of her eyes, the way they stung as she blinked, she could feel more tears entering them as yesterday began to flood her mind. Her eyes pressed shut, Mairin leaning into Alain as a sob began to build up.

Alain was awoken by her shaking, the silent sobs forcing themselves from her. His hands dug into her hair, bringing her head even closer than it already was. His warm fingers were ran through her hair, running down her back, searching for anyway to ease the pain rushing through her. But both of them knew there was nothing that could be done, that this pain they were feeling was there to stay.

"P-please..." Mairin rasped between her sobs. "A-alain,  _please,"_  She didn't know how to face what life had placed before her– let alone know what to do next. "P-please don't leave."

He pressed his head against hers, his chest rising and falling as he breathed. It was strange to be this close to someone, to feel their every movement as he held her– but yet it was the closest thing to comfort she was feeling. The pain wasn't lessened– but with him near it wasn't pressing down onto her alone.

"I'm not going anywhere," He promised, voice even quieter than a whisper.

Mairin quivered, another sob being forced from her.


	19. Chapter 19

Alex was still getting use to waking up with someone next to him.

His silver eyes cracked open every morning, always blinking at the green mass curled up next to him. The Electrike was a canine, so he shouldn't be surprised that he liked to stick close to others, but he never knew what to make of seeing Lucas. It wasn't like the Pokemon was the best to cuddle, his fur was stiff and rough, occasionally sparking with electricity. But yet Alex didn't mind that one bit.

'Wake up,' He grunted at the Electrike– shoving him away with a clawed arm. Lucas let out a yelp, fur standing on end in alarm as he was suddenly jerked out of his sleep. Alex stood up, slowly stretching.

'What was that for?!' Lucas demanded, sparks running across his body.

'You're not going to learn a new move sleeping,' Alex said, scratching at a loose scale. 'Besides, half of what we do here is sleep.'

'Well, we can't do anything exciting thanks to those darn humans!' Lucas snarled. 'They just dump food in here– where is the thrill of hunt?! The reward from guarding your territory? And most importantly I can't battle Father for alpha-ship while I'm in here!'

'Fire Fang will do more damage to a Manectric than your electric moves would,' Alex said. 'If you want to fight him for alpha that would be your best bet.'

'Of course, lightning can't hurt us,' Lucas said proudly.

Alex was about to comment on how electric types  _resist_  electric moves, but aren't immune to them, but then he realized that Lucas was probably referring to his ability. Alex wasn't sure if it was Volt Absorb, Lightning Rod or what not– many electric types had the ability to absorb electricity and convert it. He had no electric moves to test Lucas' ability for himself, so he simply nodded.

'Okay,' Alex said, heading toward the other side of their enclosure. 'Fire Fang works just like Thunder Fang. You bite in the same way, and channel the elemental energy into your target. If you bite just right you might even be able to make them flinch and land a second attack before they can.'

'Awesome!' Lucas said, lowering himself into a charging position. He opened his mouth, electricity dancing across his teeth.

'But you need to summon fire– not electricity,' Alex said, letting fire fill his mouth. Lucas paused, thinking, before summoning another mouth full of sparks and voltage, and the Charmeleon closed his eyes. 'No, no– fire! You're too used to electric type moves, but you can't focus on that!'

'But that's how I battle!'

'Focus on heat,' Alex said, swinging his tail around so Lucas could see the flames. 'A spark is like a bite– swift and painful– but fire is like pressure. Starts out gentle and warm, but becomes harsher the more energy to feed into it. It flickers, grows hotter and hotter, imagine it filling your mouth.'

He wasn't quite sure if this would even help– he had summoned fire his whole life so he didn't know how to explain it to someone else. He didn't expect his words to do much, so he was very surprised when Lucas suddenly started coughing, stumbling back as smoke filled his mouth. Alex perked up, while the Electrike hacked up puffs of smoke.

'Yeah!' Alex said excitedly. 'Like that– but more flames!'

'It tastes horrible!' Lucas howled.

'It won't if you can get flames next time,' Alex said, bouncing towards his friend. 'That was much quicker than I thought– come on– try again!'

They spent about an hour trying to get a Fire Fang to form, mostly smoke and a few cinders coming from Lucas' mouth. The closest he got was a small jet of flame that came from his mouth. It was much too small and short lasting to be considered an Ember, and no where near acting as fire would need to for a Fire Fang, but it was progress.

Eventually Lucas got bored, and fell back onto the much more familiar Thunder Fang, and began attacking Alex.

He humored the electric type with the spar, holding back on his attacks so he didn't knock Lucas out right away. What the Electrike lacked in power he made up for in speed, darting through their cage in a blink of an eye, pelting Alex with several attacks before he could even land one. The Charmeleon was sure that with a bit more power behind his moves and a good trainer, that Lucas would be an amazing battler.

'Roar in pain!' Lucas demanded as he slammed into Alex with a Spark attack. 'It'll make me look more epic!'

'More epic?' Alex asked, swiping with a Shadow Claw. 'But that would be suggesting that you already are epic on some level– and you're not.'

'Hey!' Lucas cried.

Alex jumped out of the way of a Charge Beam, laughing at the look on the canine's face as he processed the insult. He zipped at Alex with a Quick Attack, nicking him in the leg. The energy for a Dragon Pulse began to form in his mouth, waiting for when the Electrike would be in firing range. He was still racing about with a Quick Attack, coming in to attack again.

Suddenly Lucas stopped in his tracks, staring at the bars behind Alex, eyes wide.

"Char!" Alex declared triumphantly, releasing the Dragon Pulse and knocking Lucas back into the shadows. 'Hah! Take that!'

Lucas grunted, rolling to his feet, eyes still staring behind Alex. He let out a sharp bark, his entire body tensing up defensively. 'Humans!'

Alex paused, and then turned around to look at the bars– it was much too early for their meal. He stared in surprise when he saw two humans watching him and Lucas, their nicer clothes showing that they weren't the workers they usually saw roaming these halls. His insides twisted, and he hoped that they realized that the battle they had seen was only a friendly spar.

Lucas bolted forward, fur standing on end as he stood in front of Alex, letting out harsh barks at the humans. 'Go! Away! Leave! Go! Away!'

"That one was captured by a young trainer in Hoenn," The man said, gesturing to Lucas. "But it was simply too much for them to handle, which was why he was sent here. Not the strongest Pokemon, but definitely has the attitude you want if you think you can get it to listen."

The other man, who had piercing dark eyes, chuckled. "Obedience is not a problem– there are many ways to get a Pokemon to listen," His eyes flickered over Lucas, before falling onto Alex. "However, what really captured my focus was that Charmeleon. What a handsome beast, definitely not from your standard Charmander line."

Alex wasn't sure what they wanted, but he let out a low snarl as Lucas began growling.

"I'm afraid that one isn't one we can sell quietly," The first man said. "Its trainer still has expressed interest in it despite the history behind it– it's attacked humans, you see– and questions would definitely be raised if it was taken."

Alex hated the way those dark eyes watched him. "The exotic moves, and of course that intimidating appearance," He muttered. "Even if it couldn't perform well in the ring, it would most certainly rake in some high bets."

 _What?!_  Alex thought, confusion rushing through him. Betting? 'The ring'? Those weren't terms for an average battle.

"But from what I've just seen it can fight," He continued, eyeing Alex as if he were merchandise in a store. "It'd need an everstone, of course– they don't like flyers participating in the fights– takes away the suspense that you get with pitting them in the ring."

The first man shrugged. "I never saw the appeal of such bloody fights, but the underground matches pay well," He sighed. "But like I said, the Charmeleon has a trainer, and drawing attention to yourself wouldn't be good for you or the underground."

Alex's heart was hammering as he listened to the humans. Illegal battles, everyone had caught whiff of them sometime or another, matches that pit Pokemon against each other in the cruelest of fights. It wasn't a trainer guided sport, but rather bloody matches with money betted on the outcome. Of course such things had to be kept quiet though, with such battles breaking dozens of human laws– so why was someone that was a part of it at a league facility!?

But the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. This whole building was made to hold Pokemon deemed too aggressive for trainers or just the general public. Pokemon like him, that were seen as a risk. Wild Pokemon that became too bold. And Pokemon like Lucas, who simply didn't adjust to the idea of listening to a trainer.

To hold them here for the rest of their life would cost so much money, something humans hoarded. So why pay for food and water to keep aggressive Pokemon in cages when they could sell them to the underground looking for such Pokemon? The Pokemon in here were ones that were feared, ones that no one cared about– ones that no one would notice if gone.

"You deem whether they go back to trainers or not, don't you?" The man with those horrible eyes laughed. "Tell the trainer it's too aggressive to be returned, wait a few weeks until they forget about it, then it's free to do what you wish with it."

The first man sighed. "Very true. Besides, seeing that it attacked a pregnant woman I'm not sure if the league will want it back on the streets anyways," He turned to face the other man. "So you want the Charmeleon then? You'll have to wait a while for it though."

"Yes, I'll take both the Charmeleon and the Electrike," He said, black eyes drilling into Alex. "That wild Ursaring and Fraxure also caught my eye. I'll take all four, pick them up in, let's say... a month's time? More if needed?"

"Well, um–"

"I know that's quite the time to hold them, but I'll pay you extra," The man said. "Cover their expenses for food and such as well. Do we have a deal?"

The first man thought this over, then held out his hand. "As long as that 'extra' is something decent, then I'd be more than happy to," He said, and the two men shook hands. "I'll let you know if anything else worth your while comes in."

Alex was as stiff as a statue as the two men walked away, heart thundering in his chest.

'The humans think they can take me!?' Lucas snarled, clearly not understanding what they had witnessed. 'They'll be sorry!'

'It doesn't matter what I do... they're... they're going to take me from Alain...' Alex whispered. 'Pit us in fights... oh Yveltal they're going to put us in fights!'

'Should have Dragon Pulsed the both of them!' Lucas snarled.

Alex closed his eyes. '...No more training– let's start digging.'

'I thought you thought the hole was a waste of time,' Lucas said, blinking.

'It probably is,' Alex agreed, heading towards the shadowy half of their enclosure. 'But it's probably our only chance. This place is twisted– we can't stay here. They're... they're going to...'

'Humans,' Lucas snorted. 'They just can't be trusted.'

'It's worse than that,' Alex said, jumping into the hole, clawing desperately at the soil. 'Much, much worse.'

Lucas still didn't seem to understand just what could happen to them, but he read the tone. For once his gaze softened with worry, and he jumped into the hole to join Alex, his small paws working alongside Alex's claws as they attempted to dig deeper.

* * *

There was a tremble in Alain's hand as he set the plate on the counter.

He couldn't look Professor Sycamore in the eye as he set the uneaten breakfast in front of him, his blue eyes distant. His heart was thumping with a fear he hadn't felt in a long time, and one that he hoped he'd never have to face again. His fingers curled into fists, turning away– why was this happening?

"She didn't even touch it," Alain whispered. "She just said she wasn't hungry."

"You know her appetite has been anything but constant these last few weeks," He said gently. "We'll try offering her something else later."

"...She won't come downstairs either," He muttered. "She's just sitting there... Professor, I can't let her go through this again, I can't–"

A hand grabbed his shoulder. "This is different," Sycamore said. "Not that this will be any less sorrowful, any less difficult– but it is still different. Mairin will need time to mourn, she'll need time to come to terms with what's happening, and she'll need her space," His voice softened. "And I think you'll need the same thing– please don't lock up your emotions, Alain. Let yourself mourn."

"Who said I was locking anything up?" Alain snapped.

"Because I know you always try to be the strong one," He said softly. "I've seen you hide behind a mask so many times– and no one should have to do that to themselves. Things may seem beyond repair, but–"

"Our child is dying," Alain whispered. " _Nothing_  will ever fix that."

Sycamore tried to say something more, but Alain pulled himself away from the professor before a word could escape his mouth, eyes glued to the ground as he briskly made his way out of the kitchen. His emotions were humming, and he wasn't sure if his sorrow, angry, or fear was stronger. They were all rushing through him, burning through his veins with an intensity he didn't know. He kept his gaze locked on the ground, refusing to look at anyone as he passed them in the hall.

The stairs seemed to get longer each time, as if more steps were added with each trip he made up them. He allowed his gaze to flick up as he crested the stairs to the second floor, before pressing down the hallway. His fingers traced the wall as he headed towards their bedroom, coming to a stop right outside it. He touched the doorknob, but made no effort to open it, only pausing to listen.

His heart twisted as he heard the quiet sobs coming from the bedroom, and he could only imagine Mairin curled up on their bed, crying as she had last night. It took everything he had to not burst in and wrap her in his arms, to kiss her and comfort her, to simply be there for her in the way he had always known. His mouth was dry as his pulled his hand away from door, and continued down the hall.

What had happened last night, this morning– meant nothing. She was hurt, and had needed the comfort. She hadn't clung to him out of love, but out of desperation. If she needed to be held again, then he'd be there, but it'd be wrong for him to be the one to make that first step. To force her into a situation that she might regret later. Walking away from her hurt, knowing that she was in tears, but yet his steps didn't slow.

Alain eventually came to the room she called her own, and he pushed open the door, eyes sweeping her room. His gaze soon settled onto her Pokeballs that rested on the dresser, and he knew that she'd want them to be close, probably more than she wanted to be around him. If she didn't want to leave their room then he could at least bring her Pokemon to her. He looked down at the belt of Pokeballs as he picked it up, before carefully removing Bébé's empty Pokeball– she didn't need anymore sorrow right now. She didn't deserve to feel anymore of this bitter sting.

...She was crying– that was the one thing he had to remember. She was letting herself cry, she was letting herself show and feel these emotions.

An image rose in his mind, shivers running through him as he pictured a pair of empty amber eyes staring at him, the dull gaze emotionless. Her skin was pale from hiding away in her dark room, refusing to come out, refusing to let anyone linger near her. Her once rich tone had become monotone, uncaring...

Alain closed his eyes, shoving the thought from his mind. He wouldn't let that happen to her again, he refused to watch her shut down again.

...Professor Sycamore was right. This was different. This sorrow they were feeling, this horrible weight that was pressing down on them... it was different. Painful. Sorrowing– heavy. But it was sorrow, not guilt. As much as it ached, as much as Alain wished he could tear it from their hearts... there was no one to blame.

Fate was cruel, he could simply imagine it laughing at him right now. Mockingly watch as the one perfect person, the one that deserved no harm, drowned in this pain. Refused to give mercy to the one who had done no wrong.

Alain's eyes scanned the room once more for anything else Mairin could possibly need, and his eyes flickered to her bedside table, frowning at a stack of books resting there. He slipped the Pokebelt over his arm, making his way to the bedside and picking up the book on the top of the pile. The sticker on the front showed it was from the Lumiose Library, and the title read ' _Pokemon of Hoenn'._  A frown crossed his face, and he began looking over the rest of the books: ' _Hoenn Sealife', 'Absol– Omen or Guardian?', 'Pokemon of Eastern Hoenn',_  ' _Pokemon of Western Hoenn',_ and ' _Competitive Dark Types'._

He knew that Mairin would have had no time to get these recently, meaning that someone else must of checked these out for her, and his stomach twisted. He glanced at the Absol book, hoping that was what she had been researching, but judging by all of the other Hoenn books he had a feeling that hadn't been her goal with this reading. He closed his eyes, before gathering all of the books into his arms. He flipped the lights off as he went out of her room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

He hadn't wanted to go anywhere today, he had simply wanted to curl up and wish time away. But now he had several books to return to the library– he doubted that there was anything in them that could lead her to remembering those horrible moments... but he couldn't take risks. Not now. She didn't need to remember the guilt she had put herself through, not when she was going through all of this.

It pained him to think that way– he wanted nothing more than the Mairin he could call his own back... but eighteen year-old Mairin was emotionally stronger than the woman of the memories she had lost. What they had learned yesterday was breaking her... but he couldn't risk her shattering again. As horrible as the shambles of this life was, this was probably the most stable she could be right now.

Getting her through this would come first, restoring her memories would have to come later.

"...I love you, Mairin," Alain whispered as he walked by his door, gaze softening, knowing she was in there. "I promise you I'll protect you... I'll... I'll..."

Protect her? How could he protect her when he couldn't even protect their child? Their innocent baby who had yet to even experience this world, who was being taken from them, torn right from their arms.

Tears blurred Alain's eyes, resisting his fight to keep them back. The pain in his chest burned, and a sob burst from him. His shoulders hunched, clutching the books to his chest as his tears spilled over. He wanted to be stronger than this, he wanted to carry them through this horrible pain.

But he realized he, too, was breaking.

* * *

"Naught..."

"I'm not hungry, Chespie," Mairin said softly, her starter's face falling as she said this. The towering grass type nudged her, again attempting to offer her the bag of chips Ruby had brought up from the kitchen. She sighed, picking up the bag and setting it off to the side. "...Maybe later, but not now..."

"Ches," He rumbled, the Chesnaught laying a monsterous hand on her knee. She stared down at his claws for a moment, the Pokemon having refused to leave her side all day. She placed her hand on top of his, hoping that this would help calm her starter. Even if there was nothing she could do with the painful emotions running through her, Chespie didn't need to go through this as well.

She turned away, eyes staring out the window as her Pokemon let out more concerned noises. Despite it being late out, lights still shone in through the window. Alain's room faced the front of the lab, meaning that the street lights illuminated his room even at night. Mairin shakily inched her way to the edge of the bed, Chespie watching her as she slowly pushed herself to her feet.

She stumbled to the window, reaching for the blinds. The room darkened as she slid them shut, before pulling the curtains closed as well for good measure. Mairin stood there for a moment, her body feeling weak. She hadn't eaten a single thing all day, and despite her feeling its effects, she still didn't feel hungry. She stared at the green curtains, feeling slightly dizzy, and she looked back at Chespie.

She stared at his missing spike for a few moments, but it vanished from sight as he turned to look at her as well, his shell now facing away from her. Mairin let her gaze slide to the ground, stumbling back towards the bed. A part of her wondered if she should simply go to her own room, but the mere thought of heading out into the rest of the lab made her sick. She didn't want anyone to see her right now, not like this.

She laid back down on Alain's bed, head being buried into one of the pillows. Chespie drew a blanket up over her shoulders. Her fingers dug into the pillow, tears stinging her eyes, but no sobs came from her. She had spend the entire morning up here crying, and there was simply nothing left. It felt like everything was being taken from her, and was she starting to wonder if it was even worth the effort to fight it. If the world wanted her to lay here, to suffer as everything slipped through her fingers like grains of sand, then that's what she'd do.

Mairin's eyes flicked open as she heard the door sliding open, and she heard soft footsteps entering the room, a hushed voice speaking. "Is... is she asleep?"

"...No," Mairin muttered at the same time Chespie shook his head.

Alain let out a soft sigh, and she could feel the mattress shifting as he sat down. "Have you been up here the entire time I've been gone?"

"Where were you?" Mairin whispered.

"...That doesn't matter," Alain said gently, laying a hand on her shoulder. "All that matters to me right now is you. Will you please come downstairs for a few minutes? Everyone else is in bed, so you wouldn't have to worry about that."

More tears stung her eyes as Alain said this, shoulders shaking. "N-not again, p-please."

He shifted, moving closer to her. Her heart thumped, split between embracing him and shoving him away. Bitterness welled up between her sorrow, barely even listening to the soft words he was saying. How could he do this now? After everything that had happened? After everything they were going through!

"Y-you're keeping things from me," Mairin whispered. "Again. My b-baby is dying and you're just hiding behind lies again."

"No, Mairin, no– I didn't mean for it to sound that way, I just–"

She rolled over to face him, cringing in pain as she jerked her injured form. Amber eyes glowered up at him, tears of sorrow and frustration staining her cheeks. She struggled to find the words she wanted to say, a part of her only seeing Alain as safety, while another side of her pulsed with anger.

"If you're not keeping things from me," Mairin whispered. "Th-then tell me the truth. Tell me what happened to Bébé and Ch-charizard that night, what h-happened to everyone that night– what happened to  _me."_

"...Mairin..." Alain looked pained, and his gaze slipped away from hers. That was all she needed to see, a spur of bitterness rushing through her.

"You don't trust me," Mairin muttered, tears running down her face. She scooted towards the edge of the bed, throwing the blanket off of her, Chespie reaching for her as she rolled to her feet. "Everyone says you love me, b-but yet you don't even trust me."

Her injuries flared in pain as Chespie helped her stand, but she didn't care. Alain didn't say anything to her, and out of the corner of her eye she could see him struggling for words, hurt and confusion on his face. She turned away, stumbling towards the door, pushing Chespie's hand away as he tried to help her.

"Mairin–"

"I... I think I will go downstairs," Mairin whispered. "A-alone."

She didn't stop to hear any reply, throwing the door open and stumbling out into the hallway. She faintly remembered one of her first nights without her memories, when Alex had nearly attacked her mere steps outside of Alain's room. How Alain had found her, carrying her inside...

She shook the memories from her mind, focusing on merely stumbling forward. She half expected Alain to come running after her, but she heard nothing as she made her way down the stairs. She winced with each step, her stitches feeling more fragile than ever. That wasn't the only thing hurting either– the twisting white marks on her arms ached, and the center of her back pulsed in pain.

And of course, her heart was hurting the most.

"Why...?" Mairin asked in a weak voice. "Why is this happening to m-me...? What did I d-do...?"

More tears were pouring down her face, leaking from her eyes despite her efforts to keep them in. She just couldn't understand why everything in her life– everything remotely good– was being torn from her. Pokemon and friends... her family... her bond with Alain– both the one she remembered and the one she didn't. Then of course, perhaps worst of all, her baby. Her innocent child who had yet to even see this world...

The only form of a reply she got was a rumbling stomach– her body begging for some form of food to be given to her. She struggled to hold back a bitter laugh– oh the irony... before she had even known of the life within her she could barely keep down a meal... but now that she had grown to love this child, now that she knew she was loosing her...  _now_  her body begged to eat. As if that could save her from the emptiness in her heart.

But yet Mairin found herself shakily stumbling towards the kitchen, not really caring what happened next. The future looked so dark, so clouded, that she didn't even pause to think what could be thrown at her next. Nothing could be worse than this.

"Mairin?" A soft voice asked, sounding slightly surprised. Mairin was startled, and found that she wasn't the only one in the kitchen.

Max stood next to the fridge, a container of berries in his hands. She stared at him for a moment, a powerful looking Sceptile standing in front of him. The lizard shot one glance at Mairin, before nudging Max, begging for some more berries. Max handed the Leppa berries over to the lizard, who happily began chomping the fruit right from the packaging. A gleaming green gem was set around the Pokemon's wrist– a mega stone.

"...Hi Max..." Mairin whispered, feeling she had to say something to fill the silence.

"I... I hope we're not disturbing you," Max said, his voice still soft, gentle. "Um, me and Sceptile can go into the other room if you want to be alone or–"

"No, you can stay if you want," Mairin said, not making eye contact. "You won't patronize me, I think."

"Are you hungry?" Max asked. "I could get you something to eat, if you'd like."

She glanced at the container of Leppa berries Max's Sceptile had nearly finished off. "Are there any Tamato berries in there? I think I could eat a few of those... and maybe some milk..."

Max smiled softly, before nodding at the table. She slowly made her way over, sitting down, trying her best not to flinch. Max opened the fridge, combing through the drawers and shelves. He was silent, not attempting to make any further conversation as he pulled out the spiky red berries and a gallon of milk. His Sceptile slunk up next to him on all fours, sniffing at the Tamato berries, but his trainer gave him a sharp look.

A minute later a bowl of berries and a glass of milk was set in front of her, while Max took a seat across from her. Had circumstances been different she might of smiled, but all she could manage was a small nod. She began nibbling on the berries, despite her body wanting her to wolf it down, not even blinking at its spicy flavor. Silence filled the room except for Sceptile, who placed his chin on Mairin's shoulder, whimpering.

"You don't need to worry about him," Max said quietly as she held out a Tamato berry to the grass type. "He's had plenty to eat."

"I don't mind," Mairin whispered, and the Sceptile snapped the berry out of her hands. He smiled happily as he swallowed– and then his eyes widened.

"Tile!" He cried at the spiciness, eyes widening. He bolted away from Mairin's side, scrambling to the sink and turning the water on, stuffing his head under the stream of water, guzzling down the cool liquid.

"He'll be okay," Max said when he saw the look of concern in Mairin's eyes. "He kind of deserves it actually– he would have tried to steal your food if you hadn't offered him any."

"He's sweet..." Mairin replied, trailing off as the Sceptile finally pulled away from the water, gasping for air. She continued eating the berries without much thought, only pausing to get a drink of milk. As she reached for the last berry Max sat up slightly, taking in a deep breath.

"If there's anything else I can do for you, Mairin, then please let me know," Max said. "I don't want to push you or anything, I know you need your space right now... but I'm here if you need anything."

Mairin paused, eyeing Max. "A-anything?"

"Anything," He promised.

She bit into the last berry, swallowing, thoughts bouncing around her mind. She watched Max, who shifted uncertainly. There was actually something Max could do for her, something that no one else would. But despite this, she was slightly afraid to bring it up, he had said it was painful for him to talk about... he had lost his Mightyena that night, but still...

But still she needed to know.

Mairin took in a deep breath. "Tell me about what happened in the desert– please."

His gaze went from gentle to suprised– before finally melting away into worry. He inched back slightly in his chair, eyes sweeping the room. "Mairin..."

"Don't tell me it's Alain's story to tell," Mairin whispered. "He won't tell me– he refuses, Max. I... I have a right to know, I shouldn't be kept in the dark like this."

"I know that, Mairin... and I understand that you want to know," He swallowed. "But I don't think it should be now, not when... when all this is happening."

"I'm losing everything, Max!" Mairin cried– louder than she intended, and fresh tears stung her eyes. "My memories, my Pokemon, every familiar thing in my life– my  _child!_  I– I don't care how bad it was! Nothing can be worse than what I feel right now!"

"I..."

" _Please!_  Max, please!" Mairin begged, vision blurring. "I can't live like this, I can't live in this darkness. These are my memories, my past– don't keep that from me!"

Her tears fell freely, silent sobs coming from her. It hurt, everything truly hurt. Her body, her heart, her mind– it had been pushed to its limits. Pulled and tugged in every direction, ripped nearly in two. She didn't know what else she could do, she didn't know where she could go. She had reached her limits, and she was afraid one more step would push her beyond them.

"...I'll let you know what happened..." Max said softly, causing Mairin to freeze up, whipping her gaze towards him. "But only on two conditions."

"Anything," Mairin whispered.

"...I don't feel like this is something you need to hear right now," He muttered quietly. "But... but you're right. We shouldn't be keeping this from you. So you have to promise me that you are ready to hear this."

"I am–"

"This isn't just some little event or story," Max said, closing his eyes. "It's... it's painful memories, Mairin. That night still gives me nightmares. You have to be sure you're ready for this, not just desperate for it."

She was quiet for a moment, taking this in. She knew this already, she already knew that Pokemon had died that night– Pokemon she had cared deeply for. But still, Max's words made her hesitate with her answer. She bit her cheek... she already knew the painful results of this event, she just didn't know what took place...

"I'm ready," Mairin whispered.

"My second condition is that you have to promise me you won't blame yourself."

This made Mairin pull back, blinking at these words. Sharp brown eyes were watching her, Max's gaze cool compared to how he had been earlier. He didn't look angry, simply serious, watching her carefully. Her mouth was slightly dry, not quite sure what to make of this as she tried to piece together a reply.

"You have to promise me," Max repeated as she looked away, and Mairin swallowed.

"I... I promise," She whispered.

He sighed, but nodded. Mairin sat up a bit, an unknown emotion rushing through her as she waited for Max to say something. He reached into his pocket, apparently searching for something as she watched him. He made no effort to start a story however, not saying a word on what could have taken place as he set something on the table.

He slid a thin keycard towards her. "This will get you into my office," He said quietly. "All the information you'd want on what happened can be found in there," She gave him a questioning glance. "...It's too hard for me to talk about," Max muttered, looking away. "This is the best I can offer you."

Mairin reached for the keycard, a slight tremble in her hands. "...Thank you, Max."

He watched her with distant eyes, simply looking away and nodding.


	20. Chapter 20

When Mairin walked into Max's office, an office was what she expected to see. Something plain, simple, cramped and tiny. However, as she slid the keycard into the lock, she was pleasantly surprised to find that it was quite the opposite from what she had been expecting. There was the usual for what one would think would be in an office, a desk with a computer, a wall filled with filing cabinets, but beyond that the office was a cheery little room.

Next to the desk was a large branch, a heating mat resting under it. Fake leaves and moss decorated the thick wooden bough, and Mairin could easily imagine a certain gluttonous Sceptile napping on it while Max worked. The background image on the computer was a picture of Max and Bonnie, the blonde having one arm wrapped around her boyfriend, tongue stuck out towards the camera playfully. Max had an uncertain smile on his face, glasses slightly tilted, two melting ice cream cones in his hands as he too looked at the camera. Mairin stared at the picture, a moment of happiness captured in time.

That wasn't the only picture with Bonnie– another framed image, this one featuring a younger Bonnie with her brother and their father– sat near the computer mouse. A dried flower crown was laced over the top of this picture, and a picture taped to the wall behind the computer showed a glowering Max wearing the same crown shortly after it had been made. Other pictures and cards were hung up on the computer wall as well, but Mairin didn't let her gaze linger long on them. Seeing the smiles in the images made her lips twitch, but yet her heart only ached more.

A decorative map of Hoenn took up the wall near the door, pins and labels sticking out from it. At first Mairin thought that perhaps it had something to do with research, but after seeing phrases such as "Home" and "Captured first Pokemon" she quickly realized it was personal. Mairin's eyes swept the map, it not taking her long to locate the tan that would mark Hoenn's desert. Max had no labels on that section of the map.

There were knickknacks up on shelves, an old PokeNav sitting near a cracked Pokeball. A case of gym badges accompanying a single contest ribbon, among many other things. Mairin was sure each item was their own story to tell, a rich history behind each one, but that wasn't why she had come in her.

Her eyes finally drifted to the filing cabinets, a slight shiver racing through her. According to Max, the very information that had been kept from her was in here. She swallowed after a moment, last night she would have happily done anything to be here, but now that night had passed her desperation from before was gone.

But she still wanted to know.

This morning she had expected Max to attempt to talk her out of doing this, but when he had approached her he had simply told her what filing cabinet she'd want to look in. It took her several moments to locate the one he had been speaking of, tugging the drawer open once she did. She peered in, and was startled to find that were was only three files in the drawer. Near the front was a small tag labeled as 'Human Bonded', and the folders were each labeled with a name. Mairin's eyes danced over them: Tory Lund, Max Maple, Mairin Vide.

Even though she had been looking for information about herself, it was still a bit strange just to see her name labeling a seemingly random file– especially since she didn't really consider 'Vide' as her last name, but rather Alain's. She uncertainly picked up her file, before glancing at the other two. She hesitated for only a moment, not quite sure if this was something she should be doing, but she grabbed the other two folders as well.

The more information the better. Besides, assuming that 'Max Maple' was the Max she knew, she wanted to know why his name was in here as well.

She sat down at his desk, setting the three folders in front of her. She stared down at them, as if expecting something to happen, before she picked up the first folder. She had no idea who 'Tory Lund' was, and she really hoped she wasn't looking into anything too personal as she opened the folder. There was a picture of the boy she assumed to be Tory, with pale blue hair and eyes. Her eyes slipped past this and to the second picture, looking at an image that showed two figures hovering over a city.

Her whole body stiffened up as she looked down at the two Pokemon, a wave of panic washing over her. She had never seen creatures such as these, but yet the mere sight of them made her heart pound. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get control over the foreign feelings, before forcing herself to look at them once more.

They were vaguely humanoid in shape– but yet there was nothing human about them. Their blank, emotionless eyes stared off into nothing, no sign of a mouth on their faces. The creatures hovered in the air, suggesting it to be a psychic type. Red and blue skin gleamed in the sun, looking unnatural against the sky. Their arms were long and thin, the appendages twisted together.

They were identical in nearly every way, save for the the gleaming gem-like object that was embedded into their chests, one green, the other purple. Mairin could feel goosebumps rising on her arms as she stared at the picture, and her gaze drifted down to the small caption right below the image.

_[Human-bonded Deoxys (green crystal, left), and its singular companion (purple crystal, right) flying above LaRousse City, Hoenn.]_

_First Appearance– North Pole_

_Human bond– Tory Lund_

She carefully used the other folders to cover up the photo of the strange creatures as she read, finding it impossible to focus with their empty gazes locked on her. Their unnatural appearance was swifty explained in only a few paragraphs of her reading– the two 'Deoxys' being identified as an alien species. These two were just a few of many that had been known to enter earth's atmosphere, and the one with the green gem being among a handful that was known to have developed some form of connection to a human.

That was what most of the paper was about– the green-gemmed Deoxys and its bond with the human boy, Tory. Mairin merely scanned the paper, heart thumping heavily with unease the more she read. The psychic type had spent a majority of its time with the boy in an energy-based state, apparently able to survive without a body as long as its crystal was intact.

The creature's powers seemed beyond any earthly Pokemon she knew about– able to regenerate its body, shift between multiple forms with ease, create nearly impenetrable barriers across an entire city, and release psychic-based auroras that could be seen for miles.

_This Deoxys displayed playful behavior towards its human-bond, seemingly enjoying Tory's companionship rather than simply the energy it gained from being near its human. This emotional investment to both Tory and its fellow Deoxys disproved the hypothesis that this species is solitary, and the false assumption that they only linger near their human to seek energy._

_In an interview with Tory several years ago he spoke of multiple occasions in which Deoxys returned to visit him, both with and without its purple crystal companion. This shows that the bond between them still lingers years after its formed, and allows for the Deoxys to locate the human they're connected to._

Suddenly she stuffed the pages back into the folder, this sudden reaction even surprising her as she shoved the folder away– as if the mere image of the aliens being near her was too much to handle. But yet those hollow eyes seemed to be burned into her mind, staring down at her with that chilling gaze. She swiftly reached for the next folder as she tried to shake the image from her mind– this time grabbing the folder with Max's name.

No picture of any strange creatures greeted her this time, much to her relief, but a mere glance over the page once again showed it was about a Deoxys. She shifted uncertainly in the chair, eyes glancing towards the folder with her name on it. Her gaze lingered there, before she forced herself to look down at Max's folder.

_Picture– None_

_First Appearance– Kanto_

_Human bond– Max Maple_

_My interaction with this Deoxys was my the third encounter with this species, but easily the one I savor the most. Though my interaction with Deoxys was short, and while I have never crossed paths with him again, it was the time I spent with him that made me question more about just how these Pokemon form connections with people._

_Unlike with Tory, who was able to spend time and strengthen his connection with his Deoxys-bond, I was able to sense my bond with Deoxys the moment I first saw him. Every human-bond seems to report a different means of how they sense their connection; whether it be through telepathy, sensing emotions, or reading the auroras. For me personally it was through images and visions Deoxys would send me. He seemed to be powerful, able to slip into the psyche realm itself for short periods of time._

_I believe the reason why so many skills and abilities vary from Deoxys to Deoxys is from how this species comes into existence. While data is still lacking, from what Professor Birch and I were able to gather this species has no form of reproduction, but rather are mere mutations from a form of virus or DNA that mutated due to the radiation found in space. I theorize that this genetic code originated from earth, perhaps explaining both their draw to the planet and their humanoid forms._

_This seems to result in a surprising flexibility in their genome; able to shift forms, regenerate their entire bodies, and even temporarily link minds with other creatures. This is not limited to their bond, as my Deoxys-bond temporarily took control of a Meowth to communicate with us, but I do not know the extent of this power either. There are simply too few direct encounters with Deoxi to gather more data, and those that do encounter humans often become confused and even violent._

And on and on the papers went, the sheer bulk of information much more than what the first folder had held, probably influenced by the fact that this was Max's own personal encounter. There was a slight tremble in her hands as she slipped the pages back into their folder, uncertainly eyeing her remaining folder. It wasn't too difficult to guess just what the data in here would be about, seeing as what the other two folders had covered, but this only made her more on edge. She knew lives had been lost, she knew that hers had almost been taken...

She pulled her folder towards her, slowly opening it.

_Picture– None_

_First Appearance– Hoenn_

_Human bond– Mairin Vide_

_While all Deoxi have the capacity to be a dangerous species, this particular Deoxys is the only one to have displayed such a hostile nature. It seems to be cautious, staying far from all humans, including its own bond. It is believed it spent several weeks lingering and drawing on the energy of its human-bond, while never directly revealing itself._

_Deoxi that have formed a connection with a human are able to draw on some form of energy from their human. This has been seen throughout many Pokemon– with both common and mega evolution, Z-moves, and often times individual species drawing strength. However these bonds form from a developed relationship and trust, but with Deoxys-human bonds this connection seems to be almost random in nature, no previous interactions required for some kind of link to form between the two of them. This lack of an emotional connection easily leads to the energy between them becoming misused, as it was able to be seen with this particular Deoxys._

_During the weeks leading up to its direct encounter, the human-bond experienced multiple symptoms that all seem to correspond to the Deoxys, including; headaches, deep sleeping and dreamless nights, and irregular sleepwalking. The farther from towns and cities the bond was, the more intense these symptoms became._

She knew that this paper was speaking about her, but yet the way it was written made it hard to realize that, her mind easily able to distance the words on the paper with herself. She had an unsettling feeling that Max had written it this way on purpose however, especially when compared to the way his folder had been written.

Her eyes scanned over the paragraphs, trying to draw some sort of parallel between them and the strange vivid dreams she had been experiencing. There had been the one with Ruby from one of her very first nights without her memories, where her dream-self had blamed the Absol for her sleepwalking.

_The Deoxys appeared to have isolated itself in route 111 in Hoenn, vast amounts electromagnetic activity having been sensed within the desert during the time it was sighted, alongside vast auroras filling the sky at night. It was here that it drew its human-bond into the desert it had been inhabiting in what's believed to be an attempt to fully draw out the energy that came from their bond._

_While taking control of another being has been witnessed within other Deoxys specimens, such as with the Kantonian Deoxys temporality controlling a Meowth for the sake of communication, this Deoxys is the first time an attempted fusion has been witnessed._

_The Deoxys temporarily engulfed its human-bond with itself, drastically increasing its powers far beyond any other recorded Deoxys encounter. The Deoxys had complete control over this new state, acting as a host for its possessed victim. It immediately began attacking all nearby entities– both wild Pokemon and those attempting to separate human and Deoxys._

Mairin stared down at the papers, eyes swiftly scanning the paragraph once again– unable to process what she had just read. She could hear her heart hammering, drowning out any other sound in the lab, gaze locked on the words in front of her. Her stomach twisted, trying to grasp the mere idea in front of her.

Shivers raced through her, the picture she had seen of the two eerie beings rising in her mind, the image of them hovering in the air... Her mouth became dry, remembering the dreams of her flying through the night sky.

_The sheer power the Deoxys possessed was unmatched compared to anything that attempted to fight against it. Nine wild Pokemon perished throughout the fight, alongside four trained Pokemon. Mightyena was the first to fall to a Focus Blast; followed by a Metagross defending the humans, taking a Focus Blast and several Psycho Boosts in their place. The combined efforts of mega evolution with Sceptile and a Charizard were temporarily able to divert the Deoxys' focus with the dual attacks, until a Psycho Boost fatally struck the Charizard, instantly killing her._

Hot tears were running down Mairin's face, but she barely noticed them.

_Whether it be the attacks, or the mere presence of the Deoxys itself, the attention of Rayquaza was drawn to the desert. Similarly to what occurred in LaRousse City, Rayquaza began attacking the Deoxys, directing the danger away from the humans and remaining Pokemon, but this also placed the human-bond in direct danger herself. In an attempt to protect her a Floette placed herself between the dragon typed attacks and the Deoxys, before falling to a Psycho Boost._

It was frightening– not just the words she was reading, but how simply they were written. Bébé's death scrawled down in a manner as if it could be dismissed– or perhaps the writer simply hadn't wanted to dwell on the words that they had writtened.

But what horrified Mairin the most was that she could picture this moment in her mind.

It had been when Alex attacked her– right when his Dragon Pulse had struck her in the chest. Her skin burned at the memory, remembering how she had been torn from reality and into what had felt like a dream. These words weren't what had told her that Bébé had been defending her, because she remembered that moment for herself. The Floette standing between her and Rayquaza's Dragon Pulse, the sheer power from the attack even overwhelming the fairy type.

And she remembered the burst of psychic energy that had struck Bébé after that– the one that had come from where she had stood.

Those had been Bébé's final moments.

A bitter taste crawled up Mairin's throat, the vivid dreams suddenly feeling much heavier. The visions she experienced when she blacked out suddenly feeling that much more real. She had to close her eyes, fingers tightening around the papers she held– mind both trying to accept and refuse the words she was reading. It was too much to take in, but yet she knew that each word was true.

' _This Deoxys is the first time an attempted fusion has been witnessed.'_  The document had said. Fusion. The dreams with her flying, with the painful Hyper Beams striking her, what had felt like it was beyond reality– but it was reality. She– the Deoxys– it had been flying. What she was seeing had been memories. Her memories of when this alien had... had  _possessed_  her.

The memory of Bébé filled her mind again, and Mairin recoiled, pushing herself away from the desk. The mere knowledge that she was witnessing the death of her friend simply too much. More tears fell from her face, a sob building up in her chest. A bitterness ran through her as she shook, mind still trying to accept what it had been told. She had known that there would only be pain in these words, but still...

She had thought that she had been the one in danger– but in reality she had been the danger. That this Deoxys had taken over her, had been using her to gain the power it had used to attack. They hadn't just been attacked out of the blue, but they had been attacked because of her. It had been her that drew it to Hoenn. It was because it had taken over her that the others had leapt to her defense that had placed them in danger.

It was then the realization hit her:

She hadn't just witnessed Bébé's death–  _she had been the one to kill Bébé._

' _Nine wild Pokemon perished throughout the fight, alongside four trained Pokemon.'_  The words stared mockingly up at her, a horror pumping through her. They had been fighting against  _her,_  they had been attacking  _her._   _She_  was the one that had attacked them. Bébé, Charizard, Metagross... they were gone because of her.

* * *

Mairin wasn't sure how or when she got the energy to stand up, and she surprised herself as she shakily pushed the door to the office open, stumbling out into the hall. It felt like some outside force was controlling her, a strange numbness settled in her chest. The papers from her folder were still grasped in her hand, crinkled from the way she held them.

The twisting white marks on her arms tingled, the faint memory of when they had burned when she blacked out making the sensation stronger. How she had felt something wrapping around her, grasping her... and now she could only picture the coiled arms of the Deoxi in the photo. Every moment from the dreams and blackouts now were becoming pieced together, the paper having filled the blanks.

She didn't know where she was heading, nor what she hoped to find as she stumbled down the hallway. All she knew was that she didn't want to stay in the office, and that she didn't want to bear this knowledge alone. But she wasn't alone– because the others knew. They had known all along, and hadn't said a word. What they had said to her only seemed mocking to her now, and the fact that they still lingered near her. She had killed their Pokemon... she had killed her own Pokemon...

Fresh tears poured down her face, though no sobs came from her. She remembered all the times Alain had reassured her that it wasn't her fault, she not even knowing what he had been speaking of. Max making her promise not to blame herself... but how couldn't she? How could they act as if their words changed what had happened? Any fear she had felt towards Alex seemed to drain away, realizing that the Charmeleon had done her no wrong. Perhaps he had attacked her... but she had taken his mother.

"Mairin?" A concerned voice asked, jerking her out of her heavy thoughts.

Mairin blinked, looking up to find that she had nearly walked straight into Alain. She gazed up at him for a moment, her emotions racing through her. But despite this she showed none of them, simply letting the tears run down her face. Her grip on the papers tightened, and she turned her head away.

She had made her way into the kitchen, where the rest of the lab was preparing breakfast. Several concerned glances were thrown her way as she entered, but yet the only one that lingered was Max. His eyes flickered from the papers in her hand to her, gaze lit with uncertainty. She didn't know what her expression looked like right now, she could only picture the hollow gaze of her dream self... of her past self...

" _Y-you should hate me... I'm a m-monster..."_

She shivered as the words she had said in her dreams ran through her. Why hadn't she pieced together that something more had happened sooner?

Mairin looked up into Alain's concerned gaze, her voice breaking as she spoke. "It w-wasn't about what happened to me..." She whispered. "It's about wh-what  _I_  did..."

Confusion filled Alain's eyes as she said this, and his eyes flickered down to the papers in her hands. His gaze narrowed, and he slowly reached for them. She offered no resistance as he pulled them from her grasp, looking over the crinkled papers uncertainly. His eyes widened– surprise filling his gaze, turning to fear in moments. He held the papers for a moment longer, before looking back up at her.

"...Where did you get these...?" Alain asked slowly, and she wasn't quite sure what his expression was. Fear? Anger? She wasn't sure, and she didn't have any reply. She just stared up at him, and Alain's tone became more desperate. "Mairin– where did you get these?!"

"M-my office," Max said when she made no effort to respond, and Alain whipped around to face him. "I... I gave her my keycard."

"You... what?" Alain hissed, hands closing into a fist around the papers, crumpling them.

"She wanted to know, Alain," Max said, holding his hands up defensively. "And it wasn't my place to keep that from her, and–"

"I... I told you not to bring it up with her..." Alain whispered, but despite his quiet tone his face was twisted with anger. Max couldn't help but take a step back, and Professor Sycamore swiftly looked up from the pot of oatmeal he was cooking. "I  _told_  you–!"

"Alain," Professor Sycamore said softly, and his voice seemed to draw some focus to Alain's angered gaze.

It was as if Mairin had even forgotten she was there, simply staring at them, taking in their words, but yet giving no reaction. She didn't know what to do, how to react to the rage in Alain's eyes, or to come to Max's defense. This horrible feeling in her heart burned, her stomach twisting.

Alain shakily glanced down as the wrinkled papers, a tremble in his hands, before flinching away. His blue eyes were like ice– sharp, cold, and looking like as if they could shatter at any moment. He rounded on Mairin, papers falling as his rough hands grabbed her shoulders. He looked mad, but yet there was no anger in his gaze– the only emotion she could see as she stared up at him was desperation.

"Mairin, what did you read?" He asked in an urgent tone. "How much did you read?"

"Why didn't you t-tell me?" Mairin asked, voice a whisper. "Why didn't you tell me that it was m-me that–"

" _It wasn't your fault!"_  Alain cried– cutting her off. Silence fell through the lab, and he pulled her forward, engulfing her small form in his arms. The embrace was nothing like the comforting hugs he had offered her before, his tense form still filled with that desperation. She trembled in his grasp, his words doing nothing to shield her from the truth she had learned. "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't your fault, it w-wasn't your f-fault–"

She could feel his chest starting to shake, hands tightening around her as he attempted to bring her in closer, arms cradling her. She could see the tears in his eyes as he looked down at her, fingers shaking. She could almost see the thoughts racing through his mind, the panic that lit his gaze, and a part of her told her to do something. To hold him, to say something– to somehow take away the pain in his eyes.

"H-how could you?" Alain hissed, eyes narrowing, head whipping around to face Max.

"It w-wasn't fair to keep things from her–" He began.

"Did you think I was going to keep this from her forever?!" Alain snarled, releasing Mairin as he spun around to face Max. "That I was just going to keep hiding this from her?!"

"I–"

"I was going to tell her when she was ready!" Alain cried, his voice causing Mairin's ears to ring. "When  _I_  was ready! When– when we–"

Alain couldn't finish the sentence, fresh tears pouring down his face. Mairin nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and found Sophie by her side. There was concern in the woman's green eyes, trying to guide her away from the fight. Mairin didn't try to shrug her off, but kept her feet firmly rooted to where she stood. Professor Sycamore had stepped between Max and Alain, trying to keep tensions from rising further.

"Alex was never wrong," Mairin whispered, and she felt their gazes returning to her. "I... I k-killed his mother, he h-had every right–"

"No," Alain whispered, and the desperation was back in his voice, drowning out the anger and the sorrow. "Mairin, don't say that– oh Arceus p-please don't say that–"

"Mairin– you promised," Max said, hesitantly stepping forward. "Y-you promised me that–"

"That I wouldn't blame myself?" Mairin whispered, tears blurring his vision. "Y-you make me promise that then show me... sh-show me that I– th-that I–?"

"You weren't in control," Alain whispered. "M-mairin that wasn't you, Mairin please–"

"I s-saw what happened to Bébé," She said, stumbling back when Alain took a step towards her. "When Alex attacked m-me... I s-saw her die, I s-saw the attack c-come from me. It w-was me, it was me..."

Why were they trying to comfort her from what she had learned, why were they shoving it aside like it wasn't the truth. It was  _her_  fault their Pokemon were gone. She could have hurt them that night, she nearly had hurt them! She stumbled back several more steps, pulling away from Sophie as she reached for her, shaking her head as Alain tried to step closer.

"Mairin,  _please,_ " Alain whispered.

"St-stay away from me," Mairin whispered, stumbling back in the hallway. "P-please, I just... I..."

Everything was blurred together, tears still flowing down her face. She couldn't stay here, not with everyone around her, not like this. She spun around on a heel, letting her body guide her as she sprinted down the hallway. She knew her way around the lab, even better than what her memories showed her. Even with her sight masked by tears she had no trouble finding the stairs, rushing up them in a desperation of her own.

Her injuries hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. Her footsteps thudding alongside her heart as she pressed herself through the hallway, wishing she had some way to escape this pain, this heavy guilt. She felt herself drawing to a stop as she approached Alain's bedroom, but she forced herself to press on to her own room. This path felt less familiar, less reassuring to her panicked mind, but she didn't care. She fumbled for the door handle, stumbling inside.

"Sol?" A worried voice called, and she could make out the white blur on her bed, Ruby sitting just where she had left her when she had woken up. Mairin wiped the tears from her face, and could make out the concerned scarlet eyes watching her as the Absol jumped off of the bed. "Absol sol?"

"I... I'm sorry," Mairin whispered, and the dark type tilted her head. "In my d-dreams I was blaming you... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

The Absol pressed up against her, but Mairin made no effort to return the gesture. She simply staggered across the room, in search of the Pokeballs she had brought in here last night. Ruby watched her with concerned eyes, probably expecting her to seek comfort from a Pokemon she was more familiar with. However as Mairin at last found the red spheres the Pokeball she picked up was Ruby's– and she turned to face the Absol.

"Sol–?" Ruby took a step back, but the Pokeball was much quicker, returning the Absol in a burst of red light. Mairin shakily clipped the Pokeball back to the belt, before making her way towards the door. She could hear footsteps coming up the stairs, and she knew that they would be wanting to talk to her.

Mairin tugged her door open, dropping all of her Pokemon's Pokeballs outside into the hall, before slamming the door shut. Sweaty hands clicked the lock into place, sealing her off from the rest of the lab. She pressed her back up against the door, sinking to the floor as she heard a frantic knocking.

"Mairin," Came Alain's muffled voice, and she could hear him attempting to open the door. "Mairin, let me in, please."

"N-no..." Mairin whispered, drawing her knees up to her chest. "L-leave me alone..."

* * *

"Alain?"

Alain said nothing as he heard the voice behind him, merely tensing as the footsteps approached him. Despite the sounds of traffic and people rushing through the city, there was a strange silence running through Alain as he sat outside the front of the lab, heart hammering. Dull blue eyes stared at the ground, not even flickering up as the voice spoke again.

"Alain, I'm sorry..." Max said, and he swallowed. "I... I couldn't just leave her in the dark like that and I... I thought that this would be the best way. J-just written out and–"

Alain's fist slammed into the ground, cutting Max off, voice a snarl. "It wasn't your decision to make."

"...It wasn't yours either," Max said after a moment, making Alain stiffen up.

"I was going to tell her," He hissed. "When she was ready. One piece at a time, s-so she could  _understand."_

"Alain–" Max began again.

"...Go away," Alain growled. "Before I do something I regret."

A cool wind rushed by, and he could faintly hear the sounds of retreating footsteps. He let out a bitter snort, but was grateful that not another word had been uttered to him. He raised his gaze, looking up at the passing cars as they rushed by without a care. Completely oblivious to what was happening only feet from where they were rushing by. Unaware of the pain that his Mairin was going through.

A raw fear gnawed at his stomach, and Alain bowed his head once more, eyes stinging as he blinked. He didn't want to be here, alone out here with this weight that had been thrown onto his back. A part of him quietly begged to go to the cemetery, to be near his mother and sister. To sit near the grave of the woman who had cared for him and the grave of his precious starter.

But he refused to leave the lab– not while Mairin was still up in her room like this.

"I..." Alain whispered, gaze turning skyward, and he wasn't quite sure who he was speaking to. "I... I don't know what to do..."

Thin gray clouds stared down at him, silently shifting in the wind.

"P-please," Alain whispered. "I'm losing her... I've lost everyone... I can't lose her. Not again, please..."

He heard no reply of any kind, only a faint distant honk echoing through the streets of Lumiose. Alain lowered his head, trying to drown out the rumbling of cars and the screeching of tires. The heaviness in his heart pressed down on him, with each passing moment becoming only harder to bear. So much weight bore down on him, but yet he didn't know what to do. How to even carry this pressure on his heart.

Alain didn't notice the concerned professor watching him from the window, the silent hesitance in his gaze as he watched the young male. He didn't notice how he turned away after a few minutes, pulling the curtains shut to give his assistant the privacy he clearly desired.

Alain didn't notice the faint green light that flickered in from between the shifting clouds.

* * *

Mairin had fallen asleep right next to the door.

She shivered on the cool ground of her room, having not shifted since that morning. Her stomach rumbled hungrily as she slept, causing her to stir, but not awaken. Her eyes were puffed up from crying, but there was no trance of tears as she laid there. She was cold, hungry, and absolutely exhausted.

Multiple attempts had been made throughout the day to speak to her, but she had responded to none of them, and that day had now turned into night. Her curtains were drawn away from the window, revealing the cityscape and the sky outside. The streets were abnormally silent, especially for a city such as this, but still the young woman didn't stir.

For the first time in weeks, the sky was clear– the dark navy hue of the night for once visible and free from the clouds that had sheltered it. Only a few scattered stars were visible against the city lights, however, but that was nothing compared to the beautiful show that lit up the heavens.

The bright green auroras danced across the night sky, lighting up the darkness in a green hue. Despite the beauty to the lights, there seemed to be no eyes watching them as they flared across the sky, silence settled into the city. Their glow lit up Mairin's room, flickering across the floor, and the redhead shifted as they flickered across her face.

She cringed as if in pain, one hand shakily grasping her head– but yet still she did not awaken. Mairin twitched on the ground, body silently convulsing, either from weakness or pain. A whimper escaped her throat, quivering as she twisted on the ground, locked in a struggle with herself. The green lights flared up in the sky, filling the entire room with their glow, and Mairin went still.

A shiver ran through her, before her eyes fluttered open– glowing a bright green.

Her movements were unnatural as she slowly stood, body swaying to a silent tune as she scanned the room. Her face was expressionless, that eerie light still filling her eyes as she turned towards the door, struggling with the handle. Her steps echoed through the hallway as she made her way forward, paying no heed to the plate of food that had been left outside her door as she stumbled through it.

Her Pokeballs sat forgotten by her door, the girl's movements steady as she made her way towards the stairs. She paused at this new obstacle, studying them with her green gaze, before hesitantly stepping forward once more. Bare feet shivered against the cool steps, but still she pressed forward undaunted, stumbling towards the front of the lab once she reached the bottom.

She opened the door with no struggle this time, the cool summer air rushing by her as she stepped outside. She made no effort to close the door as she headed down the front steps, pressing forward towards the streets. The glow in her eyes flickered for a moment, Mairin wincing in pain– before the auroras above flared up once more.

Again Mairin went still, silently making her way down the street.


	21. Chapter 21

'Hey, Alex...' A voice muttered in his ear, causing the Charmeleon to groan. He rolled over, shoving away the Pokemon nudging him. He only got a few moments of peace before he felt someone pawing at him once more. 'Alex, wake up!'

A silver eye cracked open, before it pressed closed once more. 'It's the middle of the night, Lucas,' Alex muttered, but the Electrike didn't stop. 'Just let me sleep...'

'But dude, you gotta wake up,' Lucas said, sounding both eager and on edge. 'The sky is all weird!'

'Well, when it's nighttime the sky gets all dark, you see...' Alex began, wincing as Lucas shot several sparks in his direction.

'Not funny! I'm not talking about nighttime– the sky is glowing all green!' Lucas exclaimed, and the Charmeleon stiffened up. Silver eyes shot open, the Charmeleon suddenly rolling to his feet, causing the Electrike to leap back.

Alex's eyes were wide, and he whipped his head up towards the small window of their enclosure. He told himself that this was just a mistake, he was just over reacting, Lucas had just probably saw a green light on a plane or something–

His heart skipped a beat as he stared through that small window though, fear filling his silver eyes. For a moment he couldn't move, staring up at the auroras flickering across the sky. The green lights danced, the sight almost hypnotizing, but it only filled the fire type with fear. He felt like a small Charmander again as he watched the lights.

'N-no...' Alex whispered.

'Pretty weird, isn't it?' Lucas said. 'Looks like lightning! But slow... and green... and yeah!'

' _No!'_  Alex screeched, the shrill sound making Lucas scramble back as Alex leapt to his feet. Claws dug into the ground, his tail lashing as he stared up at the auroras– this had to be a dream– this couldn't be happening, not again.

'Um... Alex?' Lucas said uncertainly, but the Charmeleon had already scurried towards the hole they had been digging. Claws scratched at the soil, attempting to burrow even deeper. The Electrike watched him in confusion as he scraped at the dirt, but the earth was nearly rock beneath.

'N-no...' Alex whispered. 'It's back, it's b-back, it's back...'

'Dude?'

' _The monster is back!'_  Alex cried, his whole body trembling. Memories flooded his mind, the terrifying moments that had been seared into his mind. The light from the auroras flared across their cell, causing the fire type to inch back. Tears stung his eyes, scales rattling as he stared up at the horrid sight.

'...You mean the lights?' Lucas asked uncertainly, glancing towards the window.

Alex swallowed, heart pounding as he tried to gather his racing thoughts. 'Th-they come from a monster...' He whispered, slowly climbing out of the hole with shaking limbs, and he began pacing the room. 'It must have followed her here... it followed her and now it's back,' Suddenly he froze up– eyes widening with fear. 'The baby!'

A new fear rose in Alex, one even more intense than when he had seen the lights. The baby... if the monster got near Mairin, if it took control of her again, then it wouldn't just be her at risk. The little baby growing within her... His thoughts turned towards his mother, and the egg that had been growing within her.

He couldn't let the monster take the life of another unborn child.

'...You said one of your pack mates was gravid, didn't you?' Lucas said, pawing at the ground, clearly not sure what to make of what was happening. 'The r-rest of your pack will be protecting her though, won't they...? That's what packs do...'

'I– she's not–' He began, flinching, and he closed his eyes. 'W-we need to get out of here,' Alex whispered, eyes sweeping their prison. ' _Now.'_

'Operation tunnel-out isn't going too well though,' Lucas said, glancing at their hole. It was about five feet deep and perhaps seven across, which was impressive on its own, but they simply hadn't been able to dig further. The ground was like rock, and it was only a matter of time until they hit the foundation of the building. Alex hissed at the hole, several cinders flying from his mouth.

'We need out of here,' Alex muttered, a growl rattling his throat, and Lucas inched back. He didn't give the Electrike any heed, forming a Dragon Pulse and launching it at the metal bars. They rattled slightly when struck, but held firm. 'We need  _out!'_

'If we could break out of here we would have already done that,' Lucas said, pawing at the ground uncertainly, cringing as a silver-eyed glare was flashed his way. 'I thought tunneling would work but–'

'We're going to be carted off to fights if we don't get out of here!' Alex screamed at the top of his lungs, wheeling around to face him. 'Don't you get it?! They'll be pitting us in matches where one Pokemon won't be coming out alive! That's what'll happen if we don't get out of here!'

'Dude–'

'And if we don't get out of here  _now_  that monster is going to hurt  _my family!'_  Alex's cries rose to a roar, echoing throughout their prison. 'It took everything from me! My mother, my brother!' He started shaking, claws trembling. 'It's going to find Mairin again, it's going to hurt them  _again,_ and this time another innocent child will suffer!  _And I'm not losing my family again!'_

Alex spun around, lowering his head and charging at the bars. He slammed his entire body against them, rattling against his weight. His scales ached from where he had crashed into the metal, and he stumbled back to charge again. Lucas watched him with wide eyes, the Electrike unsure of what to do as he watched his friend bash himself against the metal bars. Alex let out desperate cries with each charge, unrelenting as he slammed against them.

Tears stung his eyes, blurring his vision.  _They were going to get hurt again..._

A whimper of pain escaped him as he slammed his body against the bars once more, but still they held firm.

_He needed to stop the monster..._

Bruises formed along his scales, his desperation the only thing that kept him dragging himself around for another charge.

_He needed to protect the baby..._

'Alex, you're hurting yourself,' Lucas whispered, taking a step forward, but still Alex threw himself at the bars. They creaked and shook, but yet they didn't even bend under his weight.

_He... He needed to... He needed to protect Mairin..._

A surge of energy washed over him as he lowered himself for another charge, a burst of light flaring up as he raced forward. The bright glow engulfed his whole form as he ran, his body humming with energy. He could feel himself growing with each step, body expanding as he rushed forward. His body swelled in size, neck stretching high out. Something burst free from his back, and he could feel his spikes and claws lengthening as he charged forward.

The sudden glow died down, and the newly evolved Charizard slammed into the bars.

The metal was as nearly unyielding as it had been before, barely even bending as a mass of muscle and scales slammed into it. But the hinges and screws that had been holding the bars to the wall had reached their limit– being torn right from the cement walls as Alex bashed into the metal bars.

_Crash!_

The bars were sent flying into the hallway, clattering against the ground as their enclosure was ripped open. Alex huffed, body shaking as he stared at the now-open entrance, blinking in surprise. His prison suddenly seemed much smaller, his head nearly scraping against the ceiling as he stood there. He shifted, his long neck craning far above the ground.

He could feel a ridge of spikes running down his neck, and two large...  _things_  were spread out across his back and sides. He shifted, the limbs unfamiliar to him as he instinctively folded them against his back. His tail was thick and muscular, a bright flame crackling at the end, and his claws curved to a deadly point.

He slumped against the wall, the sudden burst of energy from the evolution now gone. He pressed his head against the cool wall, a faint ache from his charges, but over all he felt unharmed. Something on him scraped against the wall as he shifted, and he lifted up a clawed hand to his head, frowning as he felt some-sort of crest right in front of his new twin horns.

'Woah...' An awed voice said from behind him. 'Dude, you look  _awesome...'_

'I...' Alex said slowly. 'I evolved...?'

It was as if a stranger was speaking, his voice a deep rumble, and he couldn't help but flinch. He sounded strange, he felt strange... even everything looked strange. He twisted his head, his long neck making it so he didn't even have to move his body to look around. Lucas looked tiny– it felt as if one misstep would crush him!

'You look like a dragon,' Lucas decided after a moment. 'I've only seen one before– it was huge and blue! But you look like it!'

Alex's claws grasp the mega stone around his neck, the realization that he was now a Charizard settling in. Perhaps not a true dragon... but he was evolved. The goal that so many Pokemon looked forward too, and he was now here. He knew that he should be excited, happy... but he simply looked out into the hallway, closing his silver eyes.

'We got to get moving,' Alex said, taking a shaking step forward– and his wings instinctively flared open for balance. 'This may be our only chance to–'

Alex didn't get to finish his sentence, muttering a curse under his breath as he glanced down the hallway. Clearly slamming metal bars across the room didn't go unnoticed, as he could make out at least two human guards, and several Pokemon. The Charizard tensed, attempting to hiss, but a deep snarl rumbled out of his throat instead.

"...Um... I don't think that's a Charmeleon we have to deal with, Ross..." One of the guards muttered uncertainly.

Alex opened his maw, preparing a Dragon Pulse. The draconic energy filled his mouth in seconds, crackling as it grew. He released the attack, the burst of energy easily the most powerful Dragon Pulse he had ever unleashed. The twisting blue energy slammed into a Barbaracle, knocking it off of its feet. Silver eyes swept over the other Pokemon with the human, which was a Donphan.

'Come on!' Alex cried, turning and racing away in the opposite direction. He felt himself falling forward, arms reaching out to catch him. He tried not to think as he began running on all fours, simply letting instincts guide him through this new form. Lucas weaved between him, the much swifter Electrike taking the lead. They passed by other cages and enclosures, the Pokemon within either fast asleep or tiredly lifting their heads as they raced by.

'Eek!' Lucas cried, skittering to a halt as he rounded a corner. Alex craned his head around and found two more humans coming towards them– with a Seviper and Granbull accompanying them. His whole body tensed, knowing that these Pokemon would be trained to take on powerful Pokemon. 'N-now what?!'

He pushed himself onto his hind legs, claws curling as he thought of the lights dancing across the sky. Alex bared his teeth, a Fire Fang filling his maw. 'Get ready to fight– because I'm not going down quietly.'

Lucas shifted, before lowering himself into a charging position, electricity crackling around his body. A Spark formed around him, and with a howling bark he raced towards the humans coming towards them. Alex tensed, before whipping around and lashing out at the ones approaching them from behind. He sank his Fire Fang into the Donphan, lifting it up into the air and sending it flying back into one of the humans.

'For the pack!' Lucas howled, slamming into the Granbull.

'Trade me places!' Alex shouted as he watched the Barbaracle form a Razor Shell, knowing that the Electrike would do better if he had a type advantage. Lucas used a Quick Attack to avoid a Crunch from a Seviper, twisting and bolting to take on the other two humans.

The Charizard lashed out with his tail as the Seviper changed targets to him, knocking the Pokemon back. He released a Dragon Pulse at the Donphan, before turning to face the Seviper and Granbull– a Shadow Claw draped around both hands. He slashed the poison type across the face, before jabbing his claws into the Granbull's stomach. It took effort to guide this new form in a fight, but the power he held made up for any struggle with his movements– each strike he landed delivering a powerful blow.

The Granbull slammed a Thunder Punch into him, jolts of electricity winding up his body. The Seviper jabbed a Poison Tail into his gut, the blade-like end digging into his scales. Alex stumbled back, and one of the humans leveled a metal object at him, a blast echoing through the halls as a net was fired from it. Alex recoiled at the sound, stumbling and tripping over his new large form– and the net was fired over his head, engulfing the Donphan instead.

Lucas attempted a Fire Fang, a small burst of flames escaping his mouth, but it was of no threat to the Barbaracle. Snarling, the Electrike opted for a Thunder Fang instead, sinking his teeth into the Pokemon's arm. Alex slashed with a Shadow Claw at the nearest human, the raw force sending him flying back. A puff of smoke flared up from the Charizard's nostrils as he snorted, a deep growl rattling his throat.

He lashed out with his tail, catching the Granbull in the chest to keep him at bay. The Seviper hissed as it sprang at Alex once more, a powerful Wrap coiling around Alex's neck. He let out a gurgled cry as a Crunch sank into his shoulder, long fangs piercing right below a spike that jutted out from his wing joint. The Charizard stumbled back, attempting to tear the snake off from him.

"Keep 'im steady," One of the humans muttered as Alex struggled for air, one eye cracking open as he saw they were preparing to launch another net at him.

"Trike!" A voice snarled, Lucas speeding away from the Barbaracle towards the human, flames filling his mouth. "Elec!"

A Flamethrower poured from his throat– making the human leap back to avoid the rush of flames. The green Pokemon turned, electricity dancing between his teeth as he sprang towards the Charizard. The Electrike began to glow, the intensity of the light making Alex close his eyes as the Seviper coiled tighter around his throat.

" _Sev!"_  The Seviper screamed in pain, his coils loosening around Alex as a Thunder Fang crunched into his back. Alex gasped for air, black spots dancing across his vision as he opened his eyes to watch a Manectric tear the snake off from him, the glow of evolution fading from around Lucas.

A Poison Tail was formed on the blade-like tail of the snake, but the Manectric simply used his newfound strength to swing the Seviper around, the attack hitting a charging Granbull instead. He released the Seviper, sending it flying, then fired a Flamethrower at the two Pokemon before they could recover.

Alex was down on all fours, bracing himself as he tried to rise. His wings hung open uselessly at his sides, lungs burning as they tried to recover the oxygen they had lost. Claws brushed against the mega stone on his neck, and the Charizard groaned as he forced himself to stand.

Lucas was standing in front of him, eyeing the several humans and Pokemon still standing. The Seviper had taken several brutal attacks, and the Donphan was still entangled in one of the nets. In the course of the fighting Alex and Lucas had managed to break through part of their ranks, so they were no longer surrounded– but they were still outnumbered. The Manectric glanced down the empty hall, then back at Alex.

'Go,' He said, lowering himself into a charging position as the others got ready to attack again. 'I'll hold them off.'

'Wha–' Alex began, his eyes widening. 'Wait, no, I'm not–!'

'If we both keep fighting they'll wear us out and more will come,' Lucas growled, sparks flickering across his yellow mane. His blue fur bristled as he built up an electric charge, shivering as the humans prepared to fire the net once more. 'Go, dude, while you have the chance.'

'I'm not leaving you!' Alex cried.

'Your pack needs you!' Lucas cried back. ' _Go!'_

He released a powerful Discharge as he called out, a wave of electricity rushing out from him. The Pokemon cringed as they were hit, while the humans let out cries of pain. Alex only hesitated for a moment, before remembering the auroras in the sky. He didn't have time to stay and fight– every moment here was another moment that monster was free. Gritting his teeth the Charizard turned, claws clattering against the cement floor as he charged down the hallway.

The Manectric let out a howl, engulfing himself in a Spark as he rushed towards their captors.

Alex's heart was pumping, eyes stinging as he raced forward. He knew what leaving Lucas here meant, knowing that the Manectric would be sold to the underground if he wasn't able to escape. He closed his eyes for a moment, before speeding around another corner, ignoring the other caged Pokemon that looked up at him.

 _Thank you, Lucas._  Alex thought.  _I'll be back– I promise._

He could smell fresh air as he ran, the hallways getting wider as he continued on. His eyes scanned the room, looking for the exit, some way to get out of here. He barely even blinked when he saw two figures down the hall– backup just as Lucas had predicted. The human and Machoke looked unafraid as he ran right at them, running on all fours. He felt his wings on his back, remembering how his mother would use her own to strike with a Steel Wing.

He let them slide open, trying to imagine an energy surrounding them, trying to picture them glow with a metallic light. He could feel the limbs tingling, a faint glow covering his wings as he rushed at the ones blocking his path.

The Wing Attack flared to life, each wing glowing as he charged between the human and the Machoke, slashing at them with the attack. The force knocked them to the ground, allowing Alex to keep running. He rounded one more corner, not even pausing to see if they were standing to come after him. Hope surged within him as he saw a large metal door up ahead– the same door he had been through when he had been brought to this horrible place.

He lowered his head. He wasn't just a Charizard– but he had Tyranitar in his blood. He didn't allow himself to hesitate, stiffening as he forced himself to charge straight at the door.

_Crash!_

He bashed into the metal door, the force of his charge ripping it from the wall just like he had done with the bars. It was sent tumbling across the asphalt of the parking lot, the Charizard bursting out of his prison and into the night– stepping outside for the first time in ages. The cool air burned against his lungs, heart fluttering as he tasted the fresh air.

The moment didn't last– a mere glance up sending a rush of fear through him. He froze in his tracks– staring up at the sky with wide eyes. He had known that the auroras were there, he had seen them through the tiny window... but even that had been nothing compared to staring up at the wide open sky, the entire night blanketed in those horrifying green rays. An eerie silence filled the streets of Lumiose, only making the sight that much more frightening.

For a moment he felt like a little Charmander again, staring up at the Hoenn sky.

"There he is!" A voice shouted from the warehouse behind him, snapping Alex from his thoughts. He whipped his neck around, and could make out several figures rushing after him. His heart pounded– was Lucas okay? "Don't let it get away!"

He couldn't keep fighting them, he didn't have that time. He stared at them for a moment, before feeling a breeze rush by him. The newly evolved Charizard looked up at the sky, then down at his back. Twin spikes jutted out near shoulders, his two wings quivering in the wind. He raised them, for the first time stretching the limbs out to their full length. Wingtip to wingtip was easily as long as his new body, if not more. A feeling rushed through him, and he wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement.

He didn't listen to the calls behind him, simply lowering himself to the ground as he turned his gaze to the horrible green sky. His tail braced against the ground as his muscles tensed. His whole body coiled like a spring– before he leapt up into the air, wings flapping wildly as he threw himself towards the sky.

It wasn't just his wings or his leap that carried him upwards– he could feel the very air around him twisting, as if pulling him up. It was the same sensation he had felt when using Wing Attack, the same rush he had felt when he had evolved. It was more than just wings, but his flying typing bending the air about him to help him rush up towards the sky. He didn't even hear the cries of outrage from below– heart soaring as he realized he was  _flying._

In mere moments he was rising above the parking lot, wings working as he took himself higher. Soon he cleared the top of the buildings– the city and the streets below him, and the glowing sky above him. The moment was so surreal, so breathtaking– and for the first time in years he truly felt free.

But it wasn't a moment he could savor– his eyes locking on the auroras as he flew above the city. Something much more important was at risk, something much more valuable than flying through the sky. He angled his wings against the wind, not quite sure how he knew what to do, and began speeding across the city– eyes sweeping the streets below.

* * *

Alain suddenly jerked awake– heart pounding.

The faint cries of a Charizard faded from around him, his dream melting away as he found himself suddenly awake. He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, trying to take in his surroundings. He was sitting in the middle of his bed, not even under his covers, still in his day clothes. He glanced at the clock, the glowing numbers showing him it was the middle of the night.

It took him a moment for the events of the yesterday to rush into his mind, and he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. He wasn't quite sure when he had even fallen asleep, all he remembered was having paced his room as night fell... then nothing. All he could recall after that was the dream he had been having moments before he had woken up, Charizard crying out for him...

"Zah!"

Alain flinched as he heard the same cry again, eyes widening. It was painful how real it sounded, to hear the cries of the one who had been like a sister to him, and he had to tell himself that it was all in his head. He forced himself to stand up, his lights on since he had fallen asleep before turning them off. He wondered if that was what had awoken him, but that still didn't explain what had jerked him so suddenly out of his sleep.

He paused as he reached the for the light switch– the unmistakable swishing of wings making him stop. He glanced at the window, his curtains drawn shut, but he could make out the faint glow of the streetlights from outside. It wasn't unheard of for Pidgeys to fly about outside or for a Murkrow to linger at night, but the sound he had heard clearly came from something much larger. He hesitated for a moment, listening.

"Zah!" A desperate voice called from outside, and Alain went completely still, recognizing the sound right away.

The cries of the Charizard hadn't been from his dream.

His heart started racing, because the call sounded just like the Charizard he knew in his memories. He closed his eyes for a moment, reminding himself that wasn't possible. Still, he had heard the cry, and he didn't know why a Charizard would just be roaming the city. Swallowing nervously he made his way towards the window, carefully listening, but heard nothing more.

He pulled the curtains back, before drawing up the blinds. As he slowly pulled the window open the first thing he noticed was the silence– no cars driving out on the road or the honking of horns. Even in the middle of the night the big city was usually teeming with life. Alain leaned his head out the window, trying to get a better view of the streets. A cool breeze was blowing, sending slight shivers racing down his arms.

" _Zah!"_  A voice cried, and Alain's gaze flickered down to the creature standing outside the front of the lab.

The Charizard was looking up at him, breathing heavily, wings drooped at its sides. There was a red tint to its orange scales, its jagged gray underbelly quite different from any Charizard he had seen before. The fire type's appearance could only be described as intimidating– spines running down its neck, a crest sweeping over his head crowned by twin horns, and two sharp spikes jutting out from at his wing joints. Alain stared at the creature for a moment, freezing as a pair of familiar silver eyes met his.

"Zawah!" The Charizard cried, pointing upwards with its monstrous claws. Alain's eyes settled on the blue gem around the creature's neck, and his mouth went dry. "Zar!"

"A-alex?" Alain stuttered out, almost afraid to believe what he was saying. But there was no denying that those were the same eyes that had belonged to the Charmeleon, his mother's mega stone hanging around his neck. "How– what are you–?"

" _Zah!"_  He screamed, stamping his feet. He looked up at Alain with a pleading gaze, desperation in his eyes. But Alain had yet to notice this, just staring at the Charizard with wide eyes. It wasn't until another rush of wind blew by, and a flicker of movement caught his eyes. His gaze shifted towards the front door of the lab, which was swinging in the wind– wide open.

"What on earth?" Alain whispered, narrowing his eyes.

Alex, tensing in frustration with being ignored, formed a Dragon Pulse in his maw– firing it skyward.

Alain flinched at the burst of light, instinctively glancing up as the attack faded. He went still as he finally saw what was the cause of Alex's panic, barely visible through the towering buildings that lined the road. The man's eyes widened as he stared up at the sky, every muscle freezing as he stared at the green auroras that flared across the night sky. For a moment he couldn't move, fear taking hold of him.

"Mairin!" Alain cried, shoving himself away from the window, scrambling towards the door of his room. He stumbled as he threw it open, charging down the hall. His heart hammered in his chest, the image of the open front door playing in his mind. His heart became heavy as he found Mairin's bedroom door open as well, food scattered across the floor... " _Mairin!"_

He was panting by the time he reached her doorway– her room and bed empty. A wave of fear crashed over him, the green lights from the auroras tauntingly lighting up her room. This scene was all too familiar to him, this fear all too real...

* * *

"Alain!" Bonnie's voice cried, shaking his tent and Max's tent. "Alain! Max! Wake up!"

He groaned as he was pulled out of his sleep, the small Charmander sleeping next to him curling up tighter. The young man sat up in his sleeping bag, glancing to his side as he watched Max fumble for his glasses. The tent door unzipped open– revealing a panicked Bonnie, Floette, Quilladin, Dedenne, and Frogadier. The Pokemon were making panicked noises, while Bonnie crawled into the boys' tent.

"What's going on?" Max muttered, a Mightyena curled up at his feet giving a toothy yawn. Alain picked up the Charmander at his side, trying to get the young Pokemon to fall back asleep.

"Mairin's gone again!" Bonnie said, blue eyes lit with panic. "Tent door left open, she's not in sight, but her tracks are headed east," She paused for a moment, swallowing. "A-also that Absol is back, it woke me up and, and the sky is–"

She didn't get to finish her sentence, Alain springing to his feet the moment he heard Mairin was missing. He clutched Alex close to his chest, shoving Bonnie aside as he headed out into the night. The small Charmander curiously glanced upwards, before tugging on his shirt. Alain ignore this, along with the cries of the other Pokemon, heading straight for the girls' tent.

Empty sleeping bags greeted his eyes, an eerie white figure sitting in the middle of the tent. Alain froze up as his icy gaze met a pair of ruby eyes, the Absol that had been stalking Mairin silently watching him. He stiffened up at the creature– the one that always showed up whenever Mairin sleepwalked.

"Where is she?" Alain growled at the Absol.

"Sol," The creature said, standing up and trotting towards him. Alain pulled back, and the dark type slipped out of the tent, looking towards the east, before glancing back at Alain. He didn't want to shove the blame into the Pokemon, but ever since it had shown up Mairin had been reacting strangely. Headaches, being nearly impossible to wake up, and of course the sleepwalking...

"See!" Bonnie said. "Northern lights!"

Alain looked skyward as Bonnie spoke, for a moment there was nothing but stars in the sky, before a wave of green rushed across it. Humans and Pokemon stared up at the sky, watching as the auroras flickered across the clear sky before fading away. There was silence for a moment, before they flared up once more.

"Aurora borealis?" Alain muttered in confusion. "This far south? That's not possible–"

"Those aren't the northern lights," Max said, who had joined them outside. His eyes were wide, looking much more alert than he had a few minutes ago. He quickly jumped back into the tent, dragging his bag towards them. "Those... those were made by a Pokemon."

Bonnie frowned, nervously glancing at the Absol as it pulled up to her side. "I know the Amaura line can creature auroras and stuff, but those are small and locate, they can't cover the sky like that–"

"I don't care what's causing them," Alain growled, kneeling down and grabbing his shoes. "We need to go after Mairin– nocturnal Pokemon can be territorial!"

Alex had slunk up onto his shoulder, the Charmander staring up at the auroras with awe. The little fire type giggled, reaching up with his claws. The other Pokemon let out cries of agreement with Alain, while the Absol merely looked east– where more lights could be seen. Bonnie went to grab her shoes as well, slipping her backpack over her shoulders.

"Y-yeah," Bonnie said. "Didn't you say there were Cacturne on route 111, Max? That's where her tracks are heading!"

Max stumbled out of the tent, a tablet in his hands, eyes flickering across the screen. He had his Pokebelt slipped over one arm, a look of nervous awe on his face as he looked down at the screen. "Cacturne shouldn't be our worry tonight," He muttered, then he glanced at the lights. "I think we're dealing with something much stronger."

"All the more reason to find Mairin," Alain muttered, barely listening to his words. He quickly took off in the direction where the tracks lead, the Pokemon at his heels. He shot a glare at the Absol, but she gave no movement to leave their group, and finally with a sigh Alain looked at Max's Mightyena. "Track her down– like you usually do."

His voice was tense, but the Pokemon seemed to realize the frustration wasn't directed at him. The canine sniffed at the tracks, trotting ahead of the group as he tried to gather Mairin's scent. Max and Bonnie were quickly following after them, trying to keep up with Alain's strides.

"The knight needs to go rescue his princess," Bonnie said with a giggle.

"Now's not the time for jokes!" Alain snapped– ever since Mairin had nearly slept walked into a lake he refused to take her wanderings lightly. There was set determination in his eyes, one hand wrapped around one of his Pokeballs. "We need to find Mairin!"

"Come on Alain," Bonnie said, grinning. "We both know you like her– just admit it."

Alain said nothing, simply following Max's Mightyena towards the desert.

* * *

Alain shook himself from the memories, stumbling back in the hallway. The auroras were back, and Mairin was gone... the auroras were back, Mairin was gone...

He ran back to his room, fear coursing through his body. Last time there had been warnings, signs he promised himself he'd be ready for if that monster ever returned. But... but there had been nothing. Mairin hadn't slept walked in years, she had barely been sleeping at all! The only headaches she got were from when she lingered around psychic types for too long, but nothing to suggest that  _it_  was back...

But the auroras only proved that the Deoxys had returned.

"Sh-she's gone!" Alain cried, shaking as he turned back towards the window– only to jump back with he saw an orange shape staring right at him. Alex's silver eyes peered at him from the window, panicked whimpers coming from the giant Charizard. He shakily stumbled towards the window and found that the fire type had climbed up to the second story window, claws digging into the side of the lab.

"Zah!" Alex cried.

"M-mairin's gone," Alain whispered, breathing becoming ragged. "She'd gone and I didn't– agh!"

Alex had stuck his long neck through the window, mouth opening as he reached for Alain. Sharp fangs pierced the back of his shirt, careful to avoid his skin, and Alex began to drag him towards the window. Alain struggled against the lizard, but the fire type was easily stronger than the human. A small yelp escaped Alain as he was dragged out the window– and suddenly he found himself dangling from the Charizard's mouth, just like a Skitty carrying its kitten.

"Al-alex...?" Alain said, his panic surging as he stared down at the fall below him if the lizard was to let out. His shirt was painfully cutting into his skin as Alex grasped it in his mouth. "Put me down–!"

Alex swung his neck around, tossing Alain up into the air, letting go of him. A cry of fear escaped him as he was thrown up, stomach twisting as he started falling– right onto Alex's back. He narrowly avoided the sharp spikes on his wing joints by inches, and one of the blunt spines on the lizard's neck hit him in the chest.

"Ow," Alain gasped, one hand grabbing the where he had been hit, the other lashing around Alex's neck to keep him from sliding off. "Wh-what are you doing– you're covered in spikes you just can't throw me like that–!"

Alex glanced back to make sure Alain was secure, before sniffing the air. The lizard then began climbing up the side of the building farther, claws digging into the walls of the lab. Alain let out a yelp, grabbing the nearest spine with his other hand to keep him in place. He was grateful for the Charizard's rough scales, giving him some traction to keep him from falling to the ground. He swallowed nervously, glancing up at the aurora-covered sky as the lizard only climbed higher.

The Charizard let out a snort as he reached the roof, while Alain let out a sigh of relief as Alex leveled out on the top of the lab– Alain no longer clinging vertically to his back. The night was still frightening silent as Alex scurried to the edge of the roof, hooked claws keeping him from sliding off. The wind felt even stronger from up here, and Alain shivered as they looked out over the city, one hand grabbing the key stone around his neck.

"N-now what?" Alain whispered.

Alex unfurled his wings.

Alain's eyes widened. "W-wait you're not thinking of–" The lizard tensed, crouching. "–You've never carried a passenger before–" Alex didn't seem to be listening, down on all fours as he prepared to jump. "–We're three stories up–!"

The Charizard leapt off the roof, and Alain closed his eyes, praying to whatever legendary was listening.

Large wings began flapping, catching a breeze that took them into the air. The lizard gave a proud rumble as he rose up into the sky, wings working to keep them up. Alain slowly opened his eyes when he realized they weren't falling, and found that the were racing above Lumiose City. A stillness came over him as he flew on the back of the Charizard, memories filling his mind...

"Zar," Alex rumbled, eyes locking on the auroras overhead.

Alain's hands tightened on Alex's spine. "...Can you take me to Mairin?"

"Zah!" The Charizard gave a single nod, slowly turning towards where the auroras were the brightest. A sense of dread washed over Alain as he saw those bright lights, Alex angling himself towards the west. He steadily flew on, the fear in Alain growing as he found that the auroras were coming from outside the city– from route 13.

The Lumiose badlands– Kalos' desert.

Alain swallowed. "We're coming, Mairin."

* * *

The first thing Mairin noticed was the sand.

She shivered, hating the gritty feeling of the grains between her bare feet, the chill of the desert night making her shiver. She wrapped her arms around herself, a yawn escaping her as she slowly began to awaken. She felt far from rested, feet and legs aching as if she had just been running. She weakly flexed her toes, a frown coming over her face.

She shifted her arms, eyes widening in confusion as she found herself in control of her body. She had so many dreams about the desert– but never once had she been able to have control over what she did. What she had seen were always memories, what happened already set in stone.

So why could she move now?

She looked around– nothing looked out of place from her dreams. The auroras filled sky, the chill of the night, the desert around her... she frowned as she looked around though, beginning to notice that things weren't normally how they were in the dreams.

There was a red tinge to the sand, the grains not the tan like she was used to viewing in her dreams. And unlike the star-filled sky that was covered with auroras there was only a few stars in this sky tonight, a faint glow on the horizon showing that a city wasn't far. The auroras flared out with an intensity that she hadn't seen before in her dreams.

She slowly stumbled back, the realization that this wasn't a dream washing over her.

Everything hurt– her wounds, her legs, her heart. She didn't know how she had gotten here, and her limbs trembled in hunger. She stiffened up as she saw a shadow fall over her– and she quickly whipped around. Her eyes widened as she stared up at the figure hovering above her, empty eyes watching her.

She recognized the creature right away from the picture she had seen– the sight of the alien making her freeze up. The Deoxys slowly landed on the sand, silent as she stared at her with unblinking black eyes. Vivid red skin was highlighted with neon green marks, a gem of the same color embedded into its chest. The creature didn't make a sound as Mairin let out a small gasp, her body feeding her a fear her mind did not know.

She didn't remember seeing this creature, but yet her mind knew she had seen it before. She stumbled back several steps, shaking in fear. Even though no picture had been present in her folder, she instantly knew that this Deoxys was the same one it had spoken of.

The Pokemon was unmoving save for its arms, coiled and unnatural, swaying in the desert night. A slight frown tugged at Mairin's face, instantly noticing that one of its foreign arms was shorter than the other– ends blackened as if it had been burnt away. The creature glanced down at the limb as it noticed Mairin staring, before looking back at her.

She scrambled back, knowing she needed to get away from this creature.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back after months of not updating?

Mairin stumbled back, heart pounding as she stared up the Deoxys, those unblinking eyes locked on her. Her whole body was shaking, and she wasn't sure if it was from fear or hunger. She felt her mouth opening, but yet no sound escaped her as she watched the creature hovering above her. The sand was gritty beneath her feet as she stumbled back, causing her to slide on the loose sand.

A green light lit the Deoxys' eyes as she fell back, a psychic glow surrounding her as she was dragged back to her feet. The alien tilted its head slightly as Mairin panicked, struggling to find her balance as the psychic grasp was loosened from around her. The light faded, leaving Mairin standing on shaky legs with a pounding heart. It was only then she realized that she was in the presence of a psychic type– but nothing was happening. No headaches, no blacking out, just a mere uncomfortable hum in the back of her mind.

The creature hadn't moved since it had landed– the green gem on its chest pulsing with light, synced to the auroras flaring above.

"Wha...?" Mairin began weakly, not even sure what she was trying to say, and she stumbled back several more steps, this time managing to keep her balance.

All she knew of this being was the few glimpse she had seen in her dreams, and what she had read in that folder... This creature had to be the same one that had taken control of her, had made her attack her friends... but yet Mairin didn't know what had lead up to those moments. How it had taken control, or how it had reacted with her. She didn't even know if it could understand a word she said.

_Hello._

Mairin stiffened as she heard the voice in her mind, the single word slicing through every thought in her head. It sent tingles down her spine, mind naturally recoiling as it heard the telepathy. 'Words' weren't quite the way to describe it, but rather it was a strange tangle of foreign thoughts and feelings. Amber eyes sent a nervous glance at the alien, who still hadn't moved from its spot in the sand. Its single arm swayed in an unfelt wind, eyes still locked on her.

"...Was that you?" Mairin whispered, a part of her hoping she had just imagined the greeting.

_Yes._  The Deoxys replied, and Mairin closed her eyes.

She thought a confirmation would make her fearful, but instead a different emotion rushed through her. Hearing this voice in her head... it awoke an anger in her. The fact that this creature was sentient, that it was capable of speaking made her stomach twist. That meant this Deoxys hadn't been something relying on mere instinct when it had possessed her, when it had forced her to attack those closest to her– but it had chosen to. That it was aware of its actions.

_Waiting._  The telepathic voice said.  _Visitor waiting. Long time._  The voice seemed to get a bit lighter, as if smiling.  _You came._

"I d-didn't come out here," Mairin hissed, inching back. "You brought me here, didn't you?"

_You came._

"I didn't come out here!" Mairin cried, shivering as a cold wind rushed by. "What do you want?!"

She didn't even need to hear the creature's reply to know what it wanted.

_You. Here._

It was startling how her anger fueled her, how it drowned out the fear in her. She knew this creature possessed powers she couldn't hope to stand against, but yet she found her hands curling as she glowered up at the Pokemon. The Deoxys' shorter arm– the one that looked as if it had been burned away– shifted as a pulse of rage ran through her. The Deoxys tilted its head even further, its face still expressionless as they stared at each other.

"No," Mairin growled. "I'm going to let you possess me again!"

_Not you._  The Deoxys said.  _Visitor can't._

Mairin blinked at this, confusion filling her as she heard these words. She looked back up at the alien, who was simply releasing another wave of auroras into the sky. It wasn't even looking at her this time, its eyes turning skyward as it watched the lights dance across the starry night. Not her? She knew that was a lie, it had already said it had wanted her here. She refused to take her eyes off of it, she wouldn't lower her guard, even if there wasn't a thing she could do to the Pokemon.

"What visitor?" Mairin whispered, not sure what even questioning the creature would accomplish– but she knew she didn't have the energy to run away. Even if she did, she knew that the Deoxys could stop her with ease.

_Me._

"You're not a visitor," Mairin muttered.

_I am Visitor._ The Deoxys insisted.

"You're... you're an intruder. A... a  _monster..."_

_Not_ _ **a**_   _visitor._  The Deoxys' voice for the first time took on a frustrated tone, the telepathy rushing into Mairin's head with more force than before, causing her to flinch back in pain.  _I_ _ **am**_   _Visitor._

"...Are you saying that's your name?" Mairin asked after a moment, clutching her head as the forceful telepathy faded.

This seemed to make the Deoxys relax, a light tone accompanying her telepathy as she spoke again.  _Yes. Visitor._

"What do you want?" Mairin whispered, the question escaping her lips for a second time. She needed to keep the creature talking, keep it from coming closer to her...

_You. Here._  Visitor said, rising several feet into the air. The Deoxys silently gilded forward, before silently landing in front of Mairin. The woman flinched, and the voice filled her mind once more.  _Must merge with host, not host merge with Visitor. Destroyed link with false fusing, cannot connect again._

Mairin struggled to make sense of the words, gaze narrowing. "...Are you saying you can't take over me again?"

Perhaps it was just a false hope her mind was trying to pick up from the strange jumble of thoughts, or maybe the creature was simply lying. Mairin simply couldn't find another answer to the telepathy she was hearing, a strange mixture of feelings from the Deoxys accompanying the thoughts.

_I cannot._  It confirmed.  _Link destroyed, too weak. No fuse again._

Mairin wasn't sure if it was the fact that she could hear its telepathy, but those empty eyes didn't seem quite as expressionless as before. A wave of relief rushed through Mairin as the Deoxys spoke though, but at the same time she wasn't even sure if she could trust what this creature was saying. It could easily lie– and perhaps it was merely trying to lower her guard.

"Then why did you bring me out here?" Mairin asked, her voice sounding much stronger than what she actually felt. "If you can't fuse with me again then why did you drag me here?"

The Deoxys didn't say a word, her eyes still locked on Mairin's, those black orbs looking so lifeless once more. Visitor's gaze flickered down to Mairin's middle, then back up to her eyes. Her heart began thumping, knowing exactly what the Pokemon's intentions were. Her arms wrapped around her belly, and she stumbled back once more.

"No!" Mairin cried. "You– you can't have my baby!"

Visitor rose up into the air, drifting closer once more, this time only a foot from Mairin. Her good arm was extended, the twisting red and green appendage reaching out towards her, and Mairin could feel the psychic energy humming around its form. Her eyes widened, a burst of fear and anger running through her as the limb drew near– and a sudden flash of light flared up between them. The Deoxys recoiled as the glow flared up, drawing back her arm as if in pain. Mairin weakly stared at the Pokemon as the light faded, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"You can't have my baby," She whispered, and the Deoxys paused as she tried to come forward again. She landed on the sand, glaring towards Mairin– and despite the expressionless face Mairin could feel the frustration running through Visitor. Tears entered her amber eyes. "And even if I did it wouldn't matter...sh-she's dying..." Mairin whispered. "She's dying..."

_Me too._  Visitor said.

Mairin stared up at her.

Visitor closed her eyes, and the glow of a Recover radiated from her gem. It washed over her entire form, and her charred arm seemed to absorb the light. Mairin watched in amazement as the arm began to grow back, a second limb stretching out from the charred stump until it mirrored the other arm. Once the limb was fully regenerated the glow faded, leaving the Deoxys whole.

Then the arm turned black– crumbling away as if it were dust.

_Spreads._  Visitor explained, touching the remains of her arm.  _Reach core. Soon._  She then touched her gem with her good arm.  _Core corrupted, body fail– Visitor die. We fused, save Visitor, but failed. Visitor not saved._ Her body went still, as if thinking.  _Again. Cannot fail._

"Stay away from my baby," Mairin hissed.

_Two lives dying. One life._  Visitor insisted.  _Need energy. Energy live._

Mairin felt even sicker as she heard the jumble of words... this monster wanted to take her child's life force so she could live... Kill her child just so it could live! Her arms coiled tighter around her middle, as if that would shelter the dying life within her. Mairin would never hand over her child like that, even if her child wouldn't make it she wouldn't just give her up like she was nothing.

"I said you can't have my baby," She repeated.

_Visitor need. Young one need._  The Deoxys said, and the telepathy in her mind could only be compared to whimpering, like a child begging for candy.  _No more chance, Visitor thought– then heartbeat, Visitor sensed. New bond._  Visitor raised her head slightly, as if proud.  _Second chance, new bond– but old bond afraid. Can't be close._

It was hard to decipher the words of the alien, the phrasing of the telepathy scattered, her mind struggling to convert the alien thoughts into something she could comprehend. She tried to listen to each word that was said, trying to make sense of this all. It seemed that this 'Deoxys-human bond' must have been passed on? From her to her child? Was that how it worked? Visitor had her out here now, so why didn't she just take control? Was her fear really strong enough to keep a fusion from occurring? Did this bond run that deep? Perhaps not just the Deoxys drawing strength from her, but perhaps the other way as well?

But then how did Visitor take control of her the first time?

_So Visitor took fear._  The Deoxys continued, that sense of proudness still flowing through the telepathy.  _No fear, Visitor come close, Visitor saved. So Visitor took fear._

Took the fear...?

"...Took away the fear of what you did, of what happened," Mairin whispered, eyes widening with realization. "If I wasn't afraid of you then you could get close again, right?" She stumbled back a step. "Y-you took my memories! It was you– wasn't it?!"

The Deoxys looked away.  _Visitor tried to. Visitor very close, but Bond dream. Fear stayed. No choice. Not Visitor to Bond, but Bond to Visitor. Bond come, Bond came!_

A bark of a laugh escaped Mairin, short and bitter– of course her memory lost couldn't have been natural. It had been too sudden, too much torn away from her without explanation... Her arms were still cradling her middle, she had been about a month along when her memories had vanished– around the same time a baby's heart was said to begin beating. The same time Visitor had sensed her little one.

This monster had taken so much from her. Her Pokemon. Her friends. Her trust with Alex. Her peace of mind. Her memories. Her relationship with Alain. And now... and now it wanted to take the energy of her little one. Whisk her life force away just so she could continue living. She glowered up at the psychic type, realizing that she was the one that had the upper hand at the moment. Apparently this creature couldn't touch her unless she allowed it– so for now her child was safe from this creature.

But in terms of power there was nothing she could do to stop this creature. This alien had slaughtered Pokemon that had been close to her, and that could happen again. Others close to her could be in danger, especially if they came after her, and Mairin wouldn't have the power to face this being. She tried to keep her face emotionless though, knowing she couldn't just jump to the worst conclusions.

"...I will not hand my child over to you just so you can kill it," Mairin whispered.

_Two lives. One life._  The Deoxys said.

"You think it's that simple, huh?" She spat. "Do you think I'm going to listen to you after all you've done? The first thing you're going to do is give me back my memories– and then you're going to leave and never return to this planet!"

...Her words were a lot more confident than what she actually felt.

Visitor's eyes narrowed.  _No. Need new bond._

Mairin slowly began to back away.

She felt a wave of frustration from the Deoxys course through her– a burst of psychic light flaring from her gem. Mairin's eyes widened, quickly falling to the sandy ground, covering her head. She trembled– both from weakness and fear– waiting to be engulfed in the psychic blast. But when nothing hit her she peered up, shivering as she realized that they had been engulfed in a dome of psychic energy.

She struggled to her feet, hurrying towards the glowing barrier and pressing on it. It flared up at her touch, but felt as solid as a wall. No wind blew within the small dome, and with a sinking feeling Mairin realized she was trapped. The Deoxys hovered up in the air, her single arm twisting with the frustration, which Mairin was sensing with ease. Visitor watched her with those black eyes, as if daring her to do something. She didn't care if she was trapped here, that wasn't going to make her give up her child.

But still, she couldn't just sit here. Again she pressed on the barriers, closing her eyes as she tried to draw on the same energy that had kept the Deoxys from touching her. She felt nothing, however, palms pressing against the psychic dome as she tried to push through. It seemed whatever energy she gained from this strange connection didn't apply to the barrier, and she felt her gut twisting. She couldn't sit here, she couldn't just sit here and wait, she couldn't allow this creature a moment that could be used to its advantage.

"Give me back my memories and I'll consider it!" Mairin suddenly blurted out.

Visitor glowered at her, and Mairin gulped.

She had no intention of handing her child over– she never would– but she had no way to get out of here. If she could just get her memories back, if she could just have a better understanding of what this being was like... then maybe she could figure out what to do. Find an answer within her memories that could give her the edge.

_Dying._ Visitor hissed in her mind.  _Need. Need! NEED!_

The telepathy grew louder– the energy being forced into her mind with a searing pain. Mairin let out a cry, hands suddenly clasping her head. Tears stung her eyes, the force fading, and she struggled to gain control of herself. For a moment her anger seemed to falter, her fear rising back to the surface. She wanted to run, but yet at the same time she just wanted to curl up. She needed to get away from this monster, she needed to get away from it before...

"I... I w-won't listen to you," Mairin whispered, struggling to gain control of herself. "I won't let you in my mind, I won't let you near my child, I will gladly sit here and watch that disease destroy you!" She swallowed. "But... but if you give me back my memories I'll listen... I'll listen to you..."

Listen and hope she could figure out what to do next.

Visitor watched her for a whole minute– silence in the dome as Deoxys and human-bond stared into each other's eyes– the alien's unblinking. Mairin didn't know if the Pokemon could sense the lies in her intentions, or if it was merely thinking over the hasty offer. All Mairin knew was that this thing couldn't touch her, and she needed to get out of here before it hurt her baby or someone that might come after her.

Suddenly Visitor was right in front of her– a mere blur as she bolted in front of Mairin. The Deoxys held out its arm, the limb being stretched out towards Mairin. The woman naturally pulled back, watching as the green and red limb was struggled to be pushed closer to her, only inches away. She could feel the warmth coming from the arm, energy humming as it tried to come closer. It took Mairin a minute to realize that she was still mentally keeping the creature back, and with shaking hands she closed her eyes.

"Y-you can touch me..." Mairin whispered as the psychic dome around them faded. "But only to–"

Visitor's arm snapped forward the moment the words left her mouth, the tendrils wrapping around her head. A scream got caught in Mairin's throat as the appendage coiled around her, a searing headache bearing down on her. The arm began to heat up, the slick feel of their skin feeling nothing but unnatural to her. She struggled as a wave of energy flooded her mind, the limb burning against her head. The young woman attempted to let out another scream, before blacking out at the force that overtook her.

* * *

Alex's wings felt heavy as he flew through the night sky, the limbs still foreign to the newly evolved Pokemon. His muscles ached as he tried to urge himself to keep flying, the landscape below him slowly turning to sand as they flew away from Lumiose, the sight causing his scales rattle– it simply being one he didn't want to see again– especially with the green glow lighting up the night above him.

The auroras flared across the sky, the vast waves of energy holding a beauty to it, but yet to the Charizard and his rider it only brought fear. Alex tried to tell himself that it was good that they could see them, that they had something to guide them to where the monster was waiting. No clouds to hide the lights, no rain to hinder them, no sandstorm to blind them... clear skies showing them the way, a quiet desert below them...

Nothing could truly reassure them, however.

"Faster," Alain insisted. "We need to fly faster."

He was speaking to himself more than anything, the urgency in his voice being one thing they both felt. Still a part of him tensed up as he heard Alain speak, frustration for how the one he called his trainer had often treated him. Still Alex flared his wings open wider, forcing himself to climb higher in the sky. His lungs burned, begging for more oxygen despite his heavy breathes. He forced himself to ignore this, knowing there was far more to worry about than his own exhaustion.

The monster had Mairin. It had taken her away in the middle of the night, had taken her and the child. That horrible creature that had slaughtered his family was back, and this time it had taken what remained of his family. Perhaps it was the one he had hated, the one he had hurt out of bitterness so many times...

But they were still all he had left.

Alex locked his eyes on the horizon, a set determination in his silver eyes. He angled his wings into a slight dive, allowing instinct to guide him. The wind picked up as they rushed down, Alain's arms tightening around the spikes running down his neck, leaning forward to provide as little hindrance as possible. Silver eyes narrowed as they looked off into the distance, blinking as a flash of green light flared up.

For a moment the auroras in the sky flickered away, leaving the night dark.

They both tensed, fear rushing through them in those few moments– and then once again the green lights began to dance across the sky. It was strange how a sight that filled him with so much dread could fuel his relief, but without it they wouldn't know where to go. However his gaze didn't remain on the sky, rather turning towards the ground, where he had seen the bright flash of light. It was the same energy that was flaring above him– and he knew that they were close.

He didn't even have to look back at Alain to know he was feeling the same thing, a strange warmth running through him that he knew was coming through his trainer. He could make out the green glow in the distance, not nearly as bright as before, but still it was there. He rattled his scales slightly, and he felt Alain's grasp on him tighten.

Alex then tucked in both of his wings– going into a rapid dive right towards the light.

The air nipped at him as he rushed forward, this speed nothing like he had ever felt before. The sky above and the ground below became a blur, sparks of green rushing through it all. He felt a roar building up in his throat, his body urging him to sing out about this newfound power. He kept his jaws locked shut though, wings suddenly flaring open as the ground rushed up to meet him.

His landing was far from smooth– the Charizard basically crashing into the earth, sending a spray of sand flying in all directions. His wings had just barely been enough to keep him from getting hurt, having somewhat pulled him out of his momentum. Still his wrists and ankles hurt as he slammed into the ground, grains of sand raining down onto him. He hated the gritty feeling as they touched his scales, while Alain began coughing at the plume around them. However Alain refused to wait for the sand to settle, leaping off of Alex's back the moment his feet had touched the ground.

" _Mairin!"_  He screamed, and Alex's head snapped up at the desperation he heard in Alain's voice. His eyes locked on a red figure in the distance, and Alex went still.

The Deoxys was hovering a foot off of the ground, thin black eyes locked on a figure in front of it. A single arm was extended forward, the twisting appendage wrapped around Mairin's head. Alex's stomach twisted as he stared at the sight– Mairin's eyes rolled back in her head, a green glow surrounding her whole form.

The Deoxys lifted its head as Alain cried out– and while its expression didn't change, the energy coming from it seemed to almost spark unhappily. Mairin was still hanging limply in the Pokemon's grasp, convulsing as the psychic energy was pumped into her.

Alain was racing towards his wife and the Pokemon, and the Charizard shuddered at the waves of rage he felt coming from the human. His claws wrapped around the mega stone around his neck, as if that could hinder the burning anger it was radiating from Alain. The stone was hot against his palm, pulsing with energy.

The Deoxys' gem flashed– a green barrier flaring up around her and Mairin. Alain crashed into it as he rushed forward, falling onto his back with a hiss of pain. He was back on his feet in moments though, fists slamming against the psychic barrier. There was no reason behind his actions, only a fierce desperation driving him forward.

The auroras in the sky seemed to freeze, the Deoxys regarding Alain for a moment. She then released Mairin– the young woman collapsing onto the sand. The green light around her didn't fade, the Deoxys simply drifting towards the edge of the barrier where Alain stood. Alex's eyes widened– and he raced forward.

The Charizard slammed into the human, arms wrapping around him as they rolled across the sand. In the same moment the barrier flickered away– the Deoxys releasing a powerful Focus Blast right at where Alain had been standing. An explosion of sand filled the air, shock waves rushing out from the blast. Alex wrapped his wings around them, shielding them from the falling sand.

"Thank you," Alain whispered as the sand settled, breathing heavily as he peered out from Alex's form. He swore when he saw the psychic barrier had returned– but this time the Deoxys stood outside it. It was looking towards them, the gem on its chest starting to glow.

"Zar..." Alex snarled, depositing Alain on the ground, standing in front of his trainer. His tail coiled around the man, lowering himself down onto all fours, embers coming from his mouth. Silver eyes narrowed, the gem around his neck faintly glowing.

Alain's hand went to his chest– where his and Mairin's wedding rings hung around his neck alongside his key stone.

The moment Alain touched the rainbow gem tingles ran through Alex. The Charizard didn't want to take his eyes off of the Deoxys, but still he let his gaze flicker back towards Alain with a knowing look. The man was staring down at the glowing gem, before his hand closed around it.

"Alex," Alain whispered. "Tear it apart."

A white glow surrounded the gem– tendrils of energy rushing out from Alain to connect to the blue gem around the Charizard's neck. His mother's mega stone burned with a raw energy, unlike anything he had ever felt before. Every sense seemed to heighten as the light engulfed him, his body swelling under him. His scales darkened, thickening as they became a deep midnight black. The spikes along his neck sharpened, more forming down his spine and across his back, running down to the very tip of his tail. Dark wings unfolded as the glow around him faded, a low growl rattling his throat.

The flame on his tail had surged up, the dark red flames seeping to a deep blue. Fire poured out from his throat, the light reflecting off of his jagged white claws. Alex's eyes slid open– his gaze now a blood red. The mega Charizard let out a deafening roar, a wave of energy rushing out from him.

But the Deoxys stood, unflinching, raising her single arm to release another Focus Blast.

A Dragon Pulse rushed out from his throat, blue flames flickering between the purple ray as it collided with the incoming Focus Blast. The draconic energy tore the Focus Blast apart, smothering out the fighting energy as it flew through the air. The attack hit the Deoxys right in the chest, searing against her gem.

The auroras in the sky faded as she was sent flying back, being knocked from her levitation.

"Shadow Claw!" Alain snarled– and with a single flap of his wings Alex took to the sky. The monstrous Charizard sped across the desert, ghostly energy surrounding his claws. He bore down on the Deoxys, claws blurring as he slashed. There was a hum in his mind, the connection of the mega evolution flooding his own anger with Alain's. He showed no mercy to the alien, talon slicing through the thin skin, blood being drawn to the surface.

The Deoxys made no sound as the Charizard mauled her, a blade of crescent energy forming in front of her gem as she took the blows. The Psycho Cut was fired at Alex, the attack tearing the dragon away from the psychic type, sending him crashing onto his back. She began to glow silver– vanishing as she slid into an Extreme Speed. The Deoxys reappeared behind Alex as he struggled to his feet, yet another Focus Blast pulsing at the end of her arm. It exploded across his spike-covered back, a plume of sand rushing into the air as he was sent crashing.

Psychic energy angrily crackled around Deoxys, her gem glowing once more. A Recover washed over her, the healing light sealing up the wounds Alex had just inflicted. The Charizard rose to his feet, breathing heavily as he watched the creature begin to heal. Its charred stump began to grow out, a second arm appearing as she became whole. Uninjured, the Deoxys looked down on him, gaze cold.

The Recover faded, and the newly regenerated limb turned to dust.

Alex rose up onto his hind legs as he watched the arm crumble away. He shuddered, before drawing of the fire pouring from his jaws. He gathered the flames in his maw– releasing a pillar of fire straight down at his feet. More pillars appeared in front of the blast– jets of flames shooting out of the earth as they rushed towards the Deoxys. Her crystal glowed once more– but the Fire Pledge engulfed her before she could attempt to counter.

Burns covered her skin as the flames faded, smoke drifting through the air. Ruby eyes narrowed as Alex watched his opponent, confusion in his gaze. The last time he had seen this creature she had seemed invincible– taking blow after blow, single blasts from her killing on impact. The power had been unlike anything he had ever witnessed before, and it had taken the very king of the skies to even bring it to its knees.

But he knew his power was nothing compared to Rayquaza– even with this new powerful form– but yet the Deoxys had to heal itself with a Recover once more.

"Dragon Pulse!" Alain bellowed, and the Charizard gathered the mass of draconic energy. He fired the ray at the healing Deoxys, rising up into the air as her arm finished regrowing once more, her burns fading away. Sky blue energy flared across his wings– diving down at the Deoxys as her the limb turned black, crumbling away.

The Wing Attack slashed across her side– once more drawing blood.

A green orb formed at the end of her arm, slowly gathering energy as it grew. Alex's eyes widened as he saw the attack, the sphere growing larger by the second. For a moment that light was all that held his focus– memories rushing through his head. He had seen this same blast released before– the mass of energy having torn through his mother's chest. The image had been seared into his head, his young mind having witnessed her final moments.

The Psycho Boost was released, and a desperate cry escaped Alex's throat. He banked away, wings being pressed against his sides as he rushed into the dive. The blast of psychic energy was launched through the sky– lighting up the entire night with a green glow as it exploded in the air. The shockwave that was released burned– the sheer intensity of the attack rushing out.

Alex crashed into the sandy earth, trembling. He looked up in time to see a blur of silver, Deoxys bolting towards him with an Extreme Speed. Her green gem gleamed, the Charizard swiping at her with a Shadow Claw. The slash hit her shoulder, but did nothing to hinder the Psycho Cut she was forming. The crescent blade pierced his scales, knocking him onto his back.

She drifted up into the air, arm extended as another Psycho Boost formed.

Alex watched the green orb form, heart hammering in his chest. But yet he felt no panic as he watched it take shape, its light reflecting in his red eyes. It was almost hypnotic, and he barely even heard Alain's cries for him to get away.

The Psycho Boost was released– striking Alex straight in the chest. The force of the blast launched him back even farther– flying through the air. A groan of pain escaped his jaws as he was slammed into the ground, tumbling a ways before he came to a stop. He laid there in pain, his entire chest feeling as if it were on fire. As a fire type, a true burning was a sensation he believed he would never feel– but the searing pain was unbearable.

"Zah..." Alex hissed, teeth gritting together as his eyes slid open. His world was spinning, his head bursting with pain from the psychic blast that had just been released. Sand was caught between his scales, bruises forming across him as he struggled to his feet. His blue chest had been charred black from the Psycho Boost, his scales screaming in pain. He let out a low growl as he rose, blue flames flickering from the sides of his jaw.

This was the same attack that had killed his mother. The blast having ending her with a single strike. This move had torn a leg from Metagross, this attack having slaughtered Bébé. There was no reason why he should be standing, why he should be in one piece. Smoke drifted up from his nostrils, knowing there was only one solution–

The creature was weaker than before.

Perhaps it was the fact it hadn't fused with Mairin this time around, the lack of contact with its bond keeping the Deoxys from its full potential. But Alex's eyes drifted to its stub of an arm, looking at the black stump.

There was something wrong with it.

His eyes flickered up to the creature's empty gaze, realizing that this was probably their only chance to stop it. While it was trapped in its weakened state, while they could match it in power. Alex forced his wings open, ignoring the pain his chest, taking to the sky. His wings flapped heavily as flew towards the alien. Her eyes flashed– but she rushed out to meet him.

"Alex– dive!" Alain screamed– and the Charizard didn't hesitate. He tucked in his wings, angling himself downwards the moment the words left his trainer's mouth. The Deoxys waved its arm– releasing several Psycho Cuts. They whistled through the air as they missed their target, Alex twisting to rise back up to the sky.

Blue fire filled his maw, the Fire Fang dancing along his fangs as he rose into the air, sinking his teeth into the Deoxys' leg. He dragged her out of her levitation, her bitter blood filling his mouth as he crunched down.

He whipped his head around, flaring his wings open as he threw her to the ground. A Dragon Pulse formed in front of him, the beam of purple energy blasting her to the earth. His wounds ached with every wing flap, but he didn't allow it to inhibit him as ghostly energy surrounded his claws, rushing after his opponent.

The Shadow Claw harmlessly slashed through a cloud of sand– Deoxys rushing away with an Extreme Speed. He twisted about, bracing himself for a counter attack as he landed. An orb of blue light came from his left– the Focus Blast slamming into his shoulder.

" _Zah!"_ He snarled, fire forming in the back of his throat. The Fire Pledge was released down towards the earth, wings opening to carry him back into the sky. He followed the plumes of the Fire Pledge as they rushed towards their target, a jagged Shadow Claw ripping across her face as the pillars of fire engulfed her.

He banked about, tucking in his head as he dove into the smoke– bashing his crest into the Deoxys' chest. He skittered against the sand as he landed, charging after her, both wings lit with a Wing Attack. He couldn't give her a moment to use Recover, he couldn't let her heal if he was going to bring her down–

He crashed into a glowing green barrier– the Deoxys emptily staring at him from the other side. He stumbled back, vision blurring slightly. He opened his mouth, forming a Dragon Pulse, but the alien was already glowing. The energy of the Recover was surrounding her, healing the burns and slashes he had inflicted upon her. Alex let out a desperate cry, releasing the blast from his jaws, but the Dragon Pulse merely caused the barrier to flicker.

The Deoxys raised its head up towards the sky– its body beginning to flow. Alex watched with wide eyes as the creature began to shift, looking almost as if it were evolving. But there was no glow of evolution as it became taller, a sharp spike forming on each leg. The growths of its head curved back to a sharp point, and the twisting green and red tentacles of its arm unraveled, becoming long and whip-like. The gem on her chest pulsed with energy, eyes narrowing at Alex.

She raised her single arm, the two appendages twisting, each forming a Psycho Cut– lashing out at Alex as the barrier between them faded. The blades of psychic energy whistled through the air, striking his chest and shoulder. They sliced through his scales, crimson blood being drawn to the surface. He let out a hiss, a Shadow Claw draping around his talons.

He sprang for her vulnerable side– the one with the missing arm– claws digging into her skin. This new form seemed to leave her even more vulnerable, blood pooling from the long slashes. She whipped her arm around, twin Focus Blasts pulsing at the end of the tendrils. A roar escaped him as the first one struck– being delivered with much more force than before. A silver sheen surrounded the Deoxys, crashing into the Charizard with an Extreme Speed. His breath was knocked out of him, painful coughs shaking his chest as he tried to breathe once more.

Perhaps she was more vulnerable, but more energy was being fueled into her attacks.

" _Zar!"_  Alex screamed as more Psycho Cuts were rained down on him, his spike-covered back protecting him from the brunt of the damage, but still one had managed to slice through his back. He couldn't stay still, he had to keep moving.

His wings were aching, struggling to carry him up into the air. His eyes scanned the desert below– Alain having made his way over to the dome of psychic energy covering Mairin. She was still laying limp in the sand, the barrier holding firm despite Alain's efforts to break through. A worried rumble ran through Alex, not quite sure of what the Deoxys had done to Mairin.

His eyes slid back towards the alien– who had taken notice of Alain. Her gem flashed unhappily, two blue orbs forming at the end of her arm. The Focus Blasts swiftly grew in size, and Alex let out an angry snarl.

He rushed towards Deoxys, crashing into her as he dove from the sky. The Focus Blasts were launched as he barreled into the Pokemon– the attacks flying in different directions. The ground exploded as it was hit by the blasts, sand flying in all directions, but Alain was safe. The Charizard bared his fangs, crunching into her leg as they fell towards the earth.

The Deoxys struggled to gain control of her levitation with Alex clinging to her, only managing to slow their fall. Alex didn't even bother looking down– biting down with another Fire Fang across her leg. Each bite drew blood, leaving charred skin behind. His claws were locked around her, refusing to loosen.

They collided with the ground, momentarily breaking the two of them apart. Both of them were covered with blood, but Alex was the first to rise. His eyes were lit with anger as he pounced on the Deoxys, long neck arching down towards her throat. She twisted under him, his fangs claiming her shoulder instead. His jaws locked around her– whipping his head about as he thrashed his prize.

He swung her side to side, and he heard the sickening sound of bones crunching. He didn't relent however, a primal anger having taken hold of him. This monster had slaughtered his mother and unborn brother, had taken away what he had known as his family! His jaws snapped open– sending the battered Deoxys flying. A Shadow Claw draped his talons– and he sprang after her, blinding slashing at the Pokemon.

His breathing was ragged, the Pokemon barely recognizable as he struck. His pupils were narrowed, unfocused and he landed blow after blow. This... this was what he had always wanted. To tear apart the one that had taken so much from him. It was why he had attacked Mairin, it was the desire that had always been behind his anger, to avenge the ones he had lost... The Deoxys was now in his claws, the monster that had taken everything from him was at his mercy...

But the pain was still there. The horrible pain of knowing his mother had been killed in front of him. It didn't matter how many blows he landed– that pain wasn't going away. He had always wanted to make this monster pay, to make her suffer as he had...

But the pain was still there!

Alex's Shadow Claws seemed to slow, a slight tremble in his arms as he stared down at the Deoxys. It was hard to make out the blood against her bright red skin, but yet the scent of it was in the air. Her body was silently convulsing, gem flickering weakly. This had been what he wanted, but now that the moment was here... that desire was gone.

All he saw was a Pokemon suffering by his claws.

Alex stumbled back from the Deoxys, staring at the blood dripping from his talons. His body ached with each heavy breath, wings hanging by his side with exhaustion. The Deoxys turned her head towards Alex, weakly watching him. He didn't move, just watching as she started to glow with Recover, the white light washing over her. Burns fading, bones mending, wounds closing– the Pokemon becoming whole within seconds.

The Deoxys rose into the air, gem releasing a series of auroras into the air above them. Alex got the faintest impression that it was trying to tell him something– but the gleaming lights meant nothing to him. The Deoxys hovered in silence, the two tendrils of her arm twisting, faintly glowing.

Suddenly two Psycho Cuts formed– flashing as they rushed at Alex.

One sliced against his wing, tearing through the thin membrane, the other hitting his chest where the Psycho Boost had scarred him. The attack launched him back, the dragon crashing onto his back. A roar was ripped from his throat– the ferocity of the creature's attack increased by her new form. Her whole body gleamed silver– becoming a blur as she rushed at him with an Extreme Speed.

Her arm lashed out, the appendages coiling around his neck. Alex let out a rasp as they constricted around him, cutting off his air. He raised his claws, trying to pull them away from his neck. Psychic energy surrounded them, lifting them both into the air. His claws dug into her, raking against the arm, but her grasp only tightened. He struggled to take in another breath– black spots dancing across his vision.

With his very consciousness being torn from him he flailed in her grasp, energy being drained from him. The green crystal pulsed with light, a mass of psychic energy slowly starting to gather. Through his darkening vision Alex could make out the growing Psycho Boost in front of him. He could feel the powerful energy washing over him, and he knew there would be no avoiding this blast.


End file.
